Lucky Cat
by D-Yai
Summary: Ch. 16 up! Sorry about the huge wait! PUNISH ME! lol Well, Mari is up and starting to act like her old self. Let's see: Ayame, Momiji, Kagura, Yuki, Haru, Tohru, and someone else comes by to visit Mari...
1. Default Chapter

A/N: This is the first fanfic I've written for Fruits Basket and the first fanfic that I happen to post. I hope you enjoy this story and my style of writing. Also, if you don't know haven't seen or read about the end of the series, I don't recommend reading this. But if you don't mind a slight spoiler, read on.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, but if anyone knows where I can find a Kyou look-a-like.  
  
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Tears ran down his face. She had taken away his child and left him with nothing. The Sohma curse has once again caused him pain.  
  
"I don't mind the curse," she had said, "but the child is the cat. The cat! They will never grow up happy. There was no ceremony for their birth and for New Years they'll never be part of parties or dances. I can't let them grow with your family."  
  
She gently kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"I promise to come by around New Years with the child. You'll still see each other. I just want the child to grow up normally."  
  
With that, she and the child left.and they left him in tears.  
  
~~~Lucky Cat~~~  
  
~~A Fruits Basket fanfic by D-Yai~~  
  
It was a typical afternoon in the Sohma House. Tohru was in the kitchen preparing dinner. Yuki was studying. Kyou was out on the porch and Shigure was reading the paper. Eventually everyone gathered for dinner and enjoyed the delicious meal that Tohru has made. Then everything was cleaned up and everyone ended up sitting around the table. Just a typical evening.  
  
Of course, Kyou and Yuki were constantly arguing, but with a single look from Tohru, Kyou would always quite down. Shigure laughed along with the others, yet mentally taking note of how well Yuki had adjusted to Kyou and Tohru's sudden confession of love for each other.  
  
Then the phone rang.  
  
Shigure got up to answer it.  
  
"Moshi-moshi?" answered the cheerful 27-year-old.  
  
"Is this Sohma Shigure?"  
  
"Yes, yes it is."  
  
"Sohma-san, I have some news for you that may be hard to take."  
  
A few minutes later, Shigure hung up the phone and returned to his seat at the table. His face was emotionless and pale.  
  
"Shigure.is everything alright?" asked a very worried Tohru.  
  
"Oh, everything's fine.I just have to go to a funeral tomorrow. That's all."  
  
"Really? Whose?"  
  
"My wife's."  
  
Tohru went into shock. Shigure has a wife? Why hasn't he mentioned her? Oh poor, poor Shigure! Was her mind erased? Is that why he never mentions her? Kyou saw Tohru's troubled look and placed his hand on her shoulder.  
  
"No, Tohru; her mind wasn't erased," Shigure said, as if to he had read Tohru's mind, "she and I had our differences so we separated a few months before you came to live with us. Legally, we are.I guess I now mean were.married, so Akito never pushed for her mind to get erased. It turns out that she hung herself earlier this week and her services will be held tomorrow."  
  
Silence  
  
"Well, it's getting late, so I better go and get some sleep. Good night everyone."  
  
Shigure got up and left.  
  
Silence  
  
"At night, he still cries at times," Yuki started to say, breaking the silence. "He really loved her and everything that they had together."  
  
"But he always seems so happy and cheerful---"  
  
"On the outside Tohru. On the outside. When we first moved here, he didn't talk much, but now acting cheerful and playful and making comments about high school girls is how he covers up his pain."  
  
"But if he is in pain, wouldn't Akito push for his wife to have her mind erased so Shigure could live easier?"  
  
"Don't you see? He was able to hide his pain so well that even Akito wasn't able to see it. Akito missed it. How could the rest of us have seen it back then?"  
  
Silence  
  
"Inside," Yuki continued, "he is tearing apart, piece by piece."  
  
"It makes you feel sorry for that dog."  
  
With his comment, Kyou added under his breath:  
  
"Please don't blame the cat."  
  
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So that was the prologue, first chapter part. Sorry if this was really short, but if I added the next chunk to this it would have gotten way too long. Plus, who doesn't like a little suspense.  
  
The next section, err, chapter, will be added on soon.most likely after a day or two or after a review or two. Please review my little fic and tell me what you like or don't like. Also, keep and eye out for my other stuff: soon to be posted! Arigoto everyone! 


	2. Greeting The Cat

Sorry that this section took so long to load, but finals are coming up for me in about two weeks so all of my teachers are demanding packets of work and.well, you get the picture. Thank you everyone who reviewed my story. I feel so loved that people are enjoying it! I am so excited! Yeah! Oh, and to answer Anything, this story won't be really short, but it probably won't turn into this huge epic hat never ends. Probably more than 10 chapters, but less than, oh say about 40? I really don't know. Just however it turns out, it turns out. But expect to probably be about average size-I'm talking about around 15ish, 20ish, 25ish maybe even up to 30! Yeah right. But if you keep on reading it and liking it, it can be as long as you all like. Thanks for reading everyone!  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own Fruits Basket.damn.  
  
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~~~Greeting the Cat~~~  
  
The next morning by the time Kyou, Yuki, and Tohru had awakened, Shigure was gone. All that day during school, troubled thoughts swam through their minds. When they got home, an empty hose greeted them and the mood stayed uncertain. No one dared to say anything that might worsen the mood. Kyou seemed to be the most concerned out of everyone. Then, at last, later that afternoon, Shigure returned.  
  
"Shigure, how was the funeral?" Tohru questioned.  
  
"It went fine. Thank you for asking. I got see some people that I haven't seen for years."  
  
"But, may I ask, why do you have all those suitcases?"  
  
Before Shigure could answer, a small, carrot-top girl ran through the entrance, instantly clinging to Kyou.  
  
"Cousin Kyou!"  
  
Tohru expected to see the white cloud of transformation, but nothing happened.  
  
"Guess what? I can count to ten now! See: one, two, phree, forty seven, nine, ten!"  
  
Shigure laughed at the girl. "Kyou, she won't listen to me when I tell her she needs a few more numbers in there."  
  
"He's right you know. How about tonight I help you with it?"  
  
"Okay!" the mall girl exclaimed with a pair of cat ears perking up upon her head.  
  
"Cat ears? Does that mean.?" Tohru looked at the left wrist of the young girl. Sure enough, there was a black and white Shinto beaded bracelet. "She's a cat too? But why is she here?"  
  
"Hey, what are you looking at?"  
  
"What? Nothing! I'm so very sorry! I shouldn't have been staring! Oh, you probably think I'm some sort of freak! I'm so sorry!" Tohru's face turned bright red and started bowing over and over again.  
  
"Tohru, Tohru, Tohru. It's fine. She just has a sharp mouth, just like her mother." Shigure motioned to the younger girl to come over to him. He picked her up and kissed her forehead and the small girl nestled against his chest.  
  
"I've never seen Shigure act this way before. Who is this girl? Could it be.?" Tohru thought.  
  
"Tohru, I'd like you to meet someone very special to me. This is Mari, my daughter."  
  
"His daughter?.It can't be." Confusion mixed across her mind.  
  
"She also happens to be the cat, just like Kyou."  
  
"Another cat?" A cat too? This was all too much for Tohru to handle.  
  
"Mari, this is Tohru. She lives here with us."  
  
"Tohru. I'm sorrwe I was rude to you."  
  
"Oh, don't worry Mari. It's nothing. But it's very nice to meet you."  
  
"You too."  
  
"So her mother was the own who died." "Mari, how old are you?"  
  
"Phree. Right dad?"  
  
"Yes Mari. Three."  
  
"Three? She's taking the news of death so well. I feel so stupid. Maybe something's wrong with me and I over-react over things. I'm so much older and the death of my mother hurts me so much more. something has to be wrong with me." "So you're the cat too?"  
  
"Yep. Just like Kyou!" Mari's cat years appeared once again and she turned to Yuki. "I'm not suppose to get along with Yuki cuz he's the rat, but I like him too!"  
  
Laughter  
  
"Mari dear, why don't you help Tohru with dinner. I'm sure she'd love to hear more of your stories."  
  
"'K." And with that, Mari jumped from Shigure's arms and took Tohru's offering hand shyly as the two walked off towards the kitchen.  
  
Kyou picked up one of Mari's suitcases. "She's staying here now huh?"  
  
"Yeah, I didn't want to send her to the main house."  
  
Yuki also picked up a suitcase. "Where shall we put these?"  
  
Shigure looked down the hall to see his little girl carefully place a rice ball on the tray Tohru was holding. "It's been so long since I've seen her. I promise I'll make everything up to you Mari."  
  
"Shigure?" Yuki questioned.  
  
Then, with a loving smile, Shigure softly said, "Place them in my room for now," without taking his eyes off his dear little daughter.  
  
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So that was the second part. One of my friends told me to make the chapters longer, but the story just doesn't seem right if I throw it all together in a big block. So for now, it will stay in this little chunks. Plus, it makes it easier to write and separate emotions and situations. Arigato everyone and I'll add the next section soon. Oh, and I tired to make Mari sound like a three year old girl by messing with the spelling. I'm sorry if that caused any confusion. 


	3. Remembering the Butterflies

So here's the next section of my little story. I made this chapter long because I know how it feels to have only really short chapters to read when the author doesn't update all the time. Hehehehe. So I hope you all enjoy it.  
  
Disclaimer: I'm still waiting for the notice stating me as the new owner of Fruits Basket.  
  
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~~Remember the Butterflies~~  
  
The next few days went on like this. Mari stuck by Shigure's side, only leaving to crawl into Kyou's lap. Yuki told a confused Tohru that if two generations of the same Zodiac anime meet, they tend to form a close bond that's like no other. He also told her that Mari was the first child of the next generation, so none of the others at the Sohma house had to worry about their child being born the cat. This also caused the other members of the family to look down upon Mari as they did Kyou and the cat before him and so on.  
  
Then one afternoon, Shigure had to go to town to finalize some legal paperwork and give his editor his latest novel.on the hour of dead line (that Shigure.). Along the way to town, Shigure noticed that the high school was letting out. Hoping that his work would go faster, Shigure opted with leaving Mari with the others.  
  
"Mari?"  
  
"Otou-san?"  
  
"I'm going to drop you off with Kyou so I can get through all of my business faster. Is that okay with you?"  
  
Silence  
  
"Mari?"  
  
Silence  
  
"You'll be back for me right?"  
  
Shigure tried not to laugh. "Of course I will. When have I never come back?"  
  
"Okaa-san said she'd be right back after she dropped me off at the neighbors, but she never came to get me."  
  
Shigure reached for the small girl. He knelled down next to her and let her cry onto his shoulder.  
  
"Don't go away too. I still need you. Why did mommy go? No one told me. I wished I said I loved her one more time. I love you daddy!"  
  
Tears  
  
"It's okay. I'd never leave you. You know that. I'll make up for all the time I wasn't with you." Shigure looked at the girl and wiped a tear from her face. "I'll always come back for you Mari. I'd never leave you."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"I promise. Would you rather come with me now?"  
  
"I'll go with Kyou cuz then you'll finish faster and we can play games at home!"  
  
Shigure smiled at his daughter. "She can hide her feelings so well.her mother must have taught her that." Shigure scanned the schoolyard until he spotted Kyou walking across the field with Hatsuharu. "Kyou!"  
  
Kyou looked up to see Shigure waving him over. Seeing Shigure in anything beside his kimono was rare, so Kyou hurried over. "Yeah? Why are you here? It better not be for the wrong reasons."  
  
"I'm hurt that you would even suggest such a thing!" Shigure pretended to pout while Kyou rolled his eyes and Mari looked on, confused. "I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind watching Mari for me while I go to town to get some work done."  
  
"Sure, no problem. I'll watch the shrimp." Kyou placed his hand out for Mari to grab.  
  
"Arigato Kyou. Mari, I promise I'll be back by this evening. See you when I get home!"  
  
"Bye daddy!" Shigure was off.  
  
Kyou looked down at Mari. "We'd better get going huh?"  
  
Mari smiled. "Hai!" She walked behind Kyou, occasionally grabbing his hand to make sure she didn't get lost. Kyou smiled to himself whenever the girl came close.  
  
Since Kyou and Mari looked very similar, many people stopped and stared and whispered. Mari had the same bright orange hair that Kyou did pulled back into a ponytail and the bracelet that Kyou always wore. She had on a black shirt very alike to Kyou's favorite and a pair of white shorts. The only real difference between them was that Mari had Shigure's deep, piercing blue eyes.  
  
"Is that Kyou's daughter?"  
  
"No.can it?"  
  
"He's almost down with his second year of high school, so yeah, he can be father."  
  
"He never mentioned her.and he never mentioned if he had a sister.can it really be his.?"  
  
"Why would he bring her here? What's he trying to prove?"  
  
"Personally, I find that very cute."  
  
"Eww.I think it's gross."  
  
Haru was the first stop Kyou. "Where the hell did you run off to you stupid." Haru looked at Mari. "."  
  
Yuki stood up. "Mari? How did you get here?"  
  
"Daddy had some stuff to do so he dropped me off here."  
  
"Mari?" Momiji crawled over to her. "Do you remember me?"  
  
Mari tightened her grip on Kyou's hand. "Am I suppose to?"  
  
Haru soften his face and gently placed his hand on Momiji. "Don't be surprised if she doesn't Momiji. The last time she saw us, she was about a year old."  
  
Momiji nodded and sat up. He smiled at the girl, whose eyes were wide in awe.  
  
"Momiji?"  
  
"Yes, that is my name."  
  
"You showed me the butterflies, didn't you?"  
  
"...How do you remember that?"  
  
"You left an impression in her mind," Haru answered. "She'll always be reminded of you whenever she sees the butterflies." Haru help is hand out for Mari to take, but she wouldn't take it. "Unlike me. I've never done anything to cause her to remember me."  
  
Tohru smiled at Mari. "Don't be intimidated by Haru. He may look big and tough on the outside, but inside, he gentle."  
  
Mari, looked up at Kyou who nodded. "Haru.Nice to meet you! I'm Mari!"  
  
Laughter  
  
"Hey Tohru-san! Carrothead! Prince!" Uo-chan and Hana-chan started to come over.  
  
"Uo-chan! Hana-chan! So nice of you to be able to make it!" Tohru greeted her friends cheerfully.  
  
"Tohru-san. How are you doing?" Hana-chan asked in her monotone voice.  
  
"I'm doing just fine. Did I give you the impression that something was wrong? I'm so sorry if I did!"  
  
Hana-chan sighed at Tohru slightly, "No. Don't worry. It's nothing."  
  
Uo-chan glanced back at the rest of the group and spotted a small girl leaning over Yuki's shoulder as he pointed to some pictures in his book. She instantly noticed the striking similarities between this girl and Kyou. "Hey Tohru?"  
  
"Hai?"  
  
"By any chance is that kid over there Kyou's.?"  
  
"Oh, you must mean Mari. She's actually Shigure's daughter. Kyou's just watching over her for him while he runs a couple of errands."  
  
"But damn. She looks just like him."  
  
"They are cousins."  
  
Uo-chan gave Tohru the "did you really just say that" look, but Tohru didn't notice. She went back to smiling at everyone, naively.  
  
Uo-chan then walked over to Yuki and knelled near the girl. "Hey there. I'm Arisa Uotani, but everyone calls me Uo-chan." She placed her hand on Mari's head.  
  
"I'm Mari Sohma." She stopped leaning against Yuki and looked up Uotani.  
  
"So you're a Sohma too? Hey, if Kyou ever gives you any trouble, tell me and I'll beat him up for ya."  
  
"But Kyou's so nice to me. Don't worree. I won't have you beated him up for me." Mari smiled at Uo-chan and Uotani's heart nearly melted.  
  
Kyou was watching off from the side at the Yankee and Mari play a hand game. "Damn Yankee. Don't go corrupting the kid."  
  
Momiji suddenly pounced on top of Kyou, knocking him off balance.  
  
"You stupid rabbit!" Kyou started to dig his knuckles onto Momiji's head.  
  
"WAAAA! Kyou's beating me up!" Momiji whined. He instantly stopped when he realized what he hand in his hands. It was a butterfly. Kyou stopped what he was doing as well when he spotted it.  
  
The butterfly was simple; yellow with blue, but it meant everything to Momiji. It was the same type that he had showed Mari the last time they saw each other. Momiji smiled to himself and wandered over to Mari. "Mari?"  
  
"Yea?"  
  
"Hold you hand out."  
  
Mari did. She then was holding the butterfly.  
  
"It's the same one I gave to you the last time we saw each other."  
  
Mari gazed shifted between Momiji and the butterfly.  
  
"Arigato." Mari's voice was filled with tears. She had never seen anything more beautiful in her life. When she let the butterfly fly away, she gave Momiji a kiss on the cheek before crying. They weren't tears of pain like the ones earlier. They were tears of joy; of the simple pleasures in life; the ones she had been locked away from all these years.  
  
As Kyou watched from his spot off to the side the young girl embrace Momiji with a shower of tears, he felt something he had never felt before. He had no idea what the feeling was at time, and only time would tell if he would ever find out what it was.  
  
It was the feeling of fatherhood.  
  
It was a feeling many would never experience for many years to come, but for Kyou, Mari had opened the doors for him and along side with Shigure, he would learn the meaning of placing a smaller, younger, more fragile life before his own.  
  
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I am personally not a hundred percent sure what direction this fic is going to take, so I hope you enjoy the ride as much I will. The ending I found slightly unsettling, but I hope you all like it. What to say in the next chapter? I truly have no idea. I'm thinking of adding some actual romance moments between Kyou and Tohru, but I'm not sure. Thank you everyone for reading my story and staying with it. I'll try to update as soon as possible. ~D-Yai~ 


	4. Peace of Mind

Thanks for the reviews everyone! Aren't I nice to be updating on my birthday? And about the comment on romance: sorry, but I'll be adding in a tiny bit just to add some more depth into it. I hope you still will like the story! Thanks everyone and I'll try to keep on updating as much as possible!  
  
Disclaimer: Now, if I owned Fruits Basket, I would have named it: Kyou is Very Yummy. So maybe it's a good thing I don't own it.  
  
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~~Peace of Mind~~  
  
Kyou's tone had changed a bit with Mari after he saw her hold the butterfly. He watched over her more carefully and gave up much of his free time to be with her. Shigure noticed Kyou's change of heart first.  
  
One night, while Shigure was helping Mari with her bath, he asked her, "Mari, what do you think of Kyou?"  
  
"Kyou?" Mari fiddled with the bath cloth that Shigure had handed her. "I love him almost as much as I love you daddy."  
  
To hear that, it relaxed, yet pained Shigure. It relaxed him to know that Mari trusted Kyou and that Kyou would always be there for her, but it pained him to know that Mari had found another fatherly figure in her life. He knew what her mother had put her through by keeping her separate from the rest of the world because she was so ashamed by Mari being cursed the cat, so he figured it would be natural for Mari to reach out towards other people. But he hoped that the other person would never replace him.  
  
Mari splashed her father with water and started to have a giggling fit, oblivious to the fact that her father was in such a deep train of thought. Shigure wiped the dripping water off his face with a muttered "My, my, my" and then a sudden attack of water on Mari.  
  
Outside the bath room door, Tohru heard the sudden outburst of laughter between the father and daughter and smiled to herself. She put away the final bit of laundry for the night when she turned to find Kyou standing right next to her. She put on a blushed smile as Kyou asked her if she would join him on the roof.  
  
On the roof, Tohru rested her head against Kyou's shoulder as they sat in silence. Kyou placed his hand near the tips of her hair and began stroking them. Words were hardly ever said between the two, but just by sitting together like this, they didn't need words to express what they were feeling.  
  
With Shigure putting Mari to bed and Kyou off with Tohru, Yuki felt alone. It was the same feeling that he got whenever he saw Honda-san with Kyou. The feeling that he had lost the greatest battle between him and that stupid cat-the battle that can never be redone. But Yuki knew better than to let that bother him; he stood up from the table, straightened his jacket, and walked up the stairs to find Shigure humming a melody to Mari, who was nearly fast asleep. Yuki stood by the doorway and smiled to himself to see Shigure act the way that he had a few years before; before he was separated from his daughter.  
  
"Shigure is really gentle," Yuki thought to himself. "The split from his wife and daughter really caused him to change. That must be why he was so willing to let Honda-san come live with us-he wanted to try to fill up the gap that was left in his heart." Yuki looked up to find Shigure looking right back at him. Yuki's eyes widen and slightly bowed to show is apology, but Shigure stood up and walked over to Yuki.  
  
"Yuki, was there something you wanted to ask me?"  
  
"Oh no, nothing. I guess I just wasn't aware that I was staring." Yuki started to walk away, and to his surprise find Shigure still walking after him.  
  
"What is it now?"  
  
"Why do you look at Mari that way Yuki?"  
  
"What way?"  
  
"With pain in your eyes?"  
  
Yuki stopped to look at Shigure, who had leaned slightly against the wall. Yuki had no answer to the question he was just asked. He never even knew that he was looking at her like that.  
  
"No answer then?"  
  
"I don't know. You should really mind your own business Shigure." Yuki turned around to continue walking, but he stopped himself. Looked back at Shigure with narrow eyes, studying the man, trying to see what he was trying to say.  
  
"Pain in my eyes?"  
  
Shigure nodded.  
  
Yuki studied the man once more and then realized what Shigure was trying to get out of him. Shigure saw the sudden awareness in Yuki's eyes and then spoke.  
  
"Don't degrade yourself Yuki over these situations. I know you feel at a lost right now since Kyou has found two new people in his life. But don't worry Yuki. You're in all our hearts and you'll never leave."  
  
Yuki clenched his fists and Shigure expect him to launch an attack on him, but instead, Yuki started to talk in a low voice that was nearly a whisper.  
  
"That's not all. Mari got a second chance. She got to come back to you and she's starting over. I'll never be able to do that. Akito's ghost is always following and he won't let me forget what he did to me."  
  
Shigure walked towards the young rat and placed his hand on the boy's cheek. "But you can have your second chance. You're day will come Yuki Sohma. It will eventually come to all of us." Shigure dropped his hand and walked down the hall and left Yuki lost in his own mixed up whirlpool of thoughts.  
  
~~Next Day~~  
  
In the mid-afternoon, Tohru realized that she was out of the items that she needed to prepare that night's dinner, so she planned a quick dash to the market. While she was taking off her apron, Kyou wandered into the kitchen.  
  
"Kyou-kun? Do you think that you and the others would mind to have dinner a bit later tonight?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"I have to run down to the market. It will only take a second."  
  
"Here. I'll go with ya."  
  
"Oh! But you don't have to. I won't be gone long."  
  
"Nah. I need the fresh air."  
  
"If you insist."  
  
Mari also happened to wander into the kitchen. "Where are you guyses going?"  
  
"Oh, Mari. Kyou-kun and I are going to the market. We'll be back soon."  
  
"Can I come? I promise I won't be pest! I'll walk the whole way, both ways! Plwese!"  
  
Tohru, unable to say no to Mari, nodded and Mari let out a happy "Yeah!" and ran down the hall to tell Shigure. Shigure stuck his head out of his office and nodded his approval. The trio was off.  
  
Along the way to the market, Mari chattered happily about the new doll that Shigure had bought her. It was a simple doll with deep purple eyes and dark, jet-black hair, but Mari cherished it like it was the most precious thing she ever owned. Tohru conversed with Mari most of the way, feeling as if this young girl was like a younger sister that she never had. Kyou walked along side with him, seemingly lost in thought, but smiling to himself when Mari stumbled across a word that she either completely mispronounced or got mixed up with another word.  
  
At the market, Tohru walked ahead of the other two, grabbing exactly what she needed to she could get home faster and finish making dinner. Kyou stayed with Mari, who was fascinated with the fish tank and was pressing her face against it, trying to figure out why the fish would rather live in there rather in a lake.  
  
"Kyou? Why do the fish want to live in this small place?"  
  
"It's really not their choice. They've been picked to be placed in there because people want to buy them to eat them."  
  
"How come they get picked? Is it a lucky number contest? Or do they play a hand game?"  
  
Kyou placed his hand on top of Mari's head. "We get to pick which ones get to go into the tank," Kyou started, then realized he better come up with a good answer so Mari doesn't start her question spree again. "We pick the ones that seem like they would make the best food."  
  
"So if a giant came and wanted pick people to eat, he would pick the ones he would like to eat bestest?"  
  
"That's some girl you got there." The middle-age woman behind the fish counter motioned towards Mari. "She's full of questions. That's good." She studied Mari a bit more and then looked over at Kyou. "She's got what it takes to make it in this world." The lady handed Mari a piece of candy. "There you go sweetie."  
  
"Oh, thank you lady!" Mari bowed at the lady and soon was enjoying the tangy treat.  
  
Kyou nodded towards the lady. "Thank you." He let out a sigh of relief. "That'll keep her quiet for awhile."  
  
The lady stuck her face close to Kyou's and he quickly pulled his away with this eyebrows raised in annoyance. "What?"  
  
"Aren't you a little young to have a kid? You two look too much alike to be siblings."  
  
Kyou's eyebrow started to quiver and he tried to keep his anger down. "Hey there lady. Don't go making all these assumptions about me. She happens to be my cousin's daughter and I'm just took her out get some fresh air."  
  
The lady laughed. "Hey kid. Don't get so offended. I just recognized that look in your eyes while you where watching her. I've got a child myself." The lady once again came near Kyou's face. "She looks up to you greatly, kid. I hope you realize that. So do you wanna buy a fish for dinner?"  
  
Kyou was about to launch at out the lady, and then Tohru popped up. "I'm finished."  
  
Kyou gave the lady one last evil look and then turned to grab Mari's free hand. She was still eating the candy.  
  
At home that evening, Kyou laid near the table, thinking. Of course, Mari saw it as an invitation to lay down next him. Kyou gave Mari this little look and Mari giggled. He started tickling the girl and soon both of them were laughing hysterically. Shigure watched from behind a sliding door. He sighed and shook his head.  
  
"My, my Shigure," he said to himself. "Looks like you're getting old."  
  
Mari got up and wandered over to her father. "Daddy? Do you want to play dolls with me?" She was holding her precious new doll in her hand.  
  
"I'd love to baby." Shigure sat with Mari as she pulled out he doll container. "Have you named your new doll yet?"  
  
Mari smiled brightly at her father. "Yep! Guess what her name is!"  
  
"Banana?"  
  
"Nope!"  
  
"Saru?" (A/N: that's monkey in Japanese. I have no idea how I know that.)  
  
"Guess again!"  
  
"I have no idea. I'm all guessed out."  
  
"Kyuri!"  
  
"Kyuri?"  
  
"Yep! I love cucumbers!"  
  
Shigure laughed at his little girl. "Kyuri huh? Well, I guess it's time for Kyuri to get to know everyone else them."  
  
"Yes. I think she needs to get to know them too!"  
  
So for the rest of the evening, Shigure and Mari played dolls. Shigure laughed along side with his daughter and felt as if his life was starting to finally be placed all back together. His heart was feeling full again and he was starting to truly enjoy life once again. He had finally found his state of peace and he was given his second chance at life.  
  
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There you all go. I hope you like the next installment. The whole doll named ting was inspired by my five-year cousin who named her doll Giraffe because she likes them so much. Mari named her doll cucumber. That is just to great. I'm so happy about that name. Kyuri. Oh, good news! I kinda made this outline-like thing during extra time during biology and now I kinda know where the story is going! Thanks again everyone! 


	5. Dangerous Roads

Disclaimer: Now, if held the rights to Fruits Basket, it probably would have turned into a mecha-themed one or one with a lot of violence and blood and fighting. I guess that would completely change the story then.  
  
A/N: I'm sorry that this section took so long to get up. See, I usually work on my stories during CECA (a computer ed class), but this week we've been working on our finals and finals are coming up next week so I am studying overtime and panicking and I just borrowed some Kare Kano I haven't seen and those people are all like we want them back before the end of the year s I'm watching those and I got the Animatrix for my birthday so of course I had to watch that in English and Japanese and all of the extras. you get the idea. So here you all go and I'll be writing the next section soon and post it as soon as I can get away from all of evil studying!  
  
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~~Dangerous Roads~~  
  
Shigure was waiting in front of Mari's nursery school the next afternoon. He saw the fourteen other children run out to greet their parents, but Mari didn't come out. He walked into the building to find Mari walking slowly by her teacher.  
  
"Mari?"  
  
"Ah, you must be Mari's father. I'm her teacher Mikki Hakuu."  
  
"It's very nice to meet you Hakuu-san-"  
  
"Please, Mikki."  
  
"Mikki. I'm Shigure." He stuck is hand out for her to shake. "So what seems to be problem?" The worst was rushing through his mind. "Had Mari turned into a cat during class?" Shigure wondered. "If she did, how many of the children saw? I don't want what happened Yuki's friends to happen to Mari."  
  
"Well, I wanted to ask you a bit about Mari's family life."  
  
"Her family life?"  
  
"Yes. Here. Mari? Could you go down to the daycare center while I talk to your father? It won't be long."  
  
"Yes, Mari. I'll be there to get you soon."  
  
"Yes sensei." Mari walked past her teacher with her head down and grabbed onto Shigure's hand briefly as she walked by and mouthed, "I'm sorry" to him. She walked on.  
  
Shigure watched his daughter walk through another doorway, slowly and sadly.  
  
"Shigure? I hate to have to tell you this, but here at school, the other children constantly make fun of your daughter. They call her names because of her appearance and apparently one of the other children found out from their older sibling who happens to be friends with one of Mari's cousins that her mother had just recently killed herself."  
  
"But Mari hasn't said anything about it to me or anyone else."  
  
The young teacher closed her eyes and shook her head slightly from side-to- side. "I figured she wouldn't. I've seen her with you or her family and how happy and talkative she is. I just wish that she acted like that here."  
  
Shigure ran his hand through his hair before he started talking. "Have you talked about this to the orange-haired boy that sometimes comes to pick her up?"  
  
The teacher blushed. "I started to since I assumed he was the father. I mean, it was an honest mistake, and then he told me to stop and that tomorrow her father would come and pick her up."  
  
"That Kyou. he didn't tell me anything about this."  
  
"Did you say something?"  
  
"Oh, no. Nothing."  
  
"I also wanted to ask you if Mari had a, I'll call it bumpy relationship, with her mother. She told me that she just recently started living with you and she was happier."  
  
"Mari's mother and I stopped living with each other when Mari was about a year old. She didn't get along with the way that my side of the family was set up. At first, I still saw Mari, but little by little, her mother began pulling her away from my family and me. She would never let me see Mari for more than a day every three or four months and I knew that if I divorced her, she would take Mari away from me forever. She wanted me to denounce my family. She told me that if I did, I could live with them, but in my family, it was impossible to do so, for reasons that I can't explain. So she keep Mari way from me."  
  
Shigure stopped talking and bit his lower lip before continuing.  
  
"Mari told me that her mother kept her isolated from the world. I had no idea until Mari came to live with me." Shigure's voice dropped. "Mari told me she was the one to find her mother's body hanging from the tree in the side yard when she went out to the porch of the neighbor's. She was the first to see her mother, hanging there, eyes rolled back. At age three. Do you know the toll she took because of this? She wouldn't speak about it. she didn't understand what it was. At the funeral, she even asked how they made her mom look so peaceful. She's didn't know that once they buried her that she wasn't coming back. She knew that her mother keep her from the world, but she still loved her. Her mother taught her to hide her true feelings and emotions and she still hasn't given it up. She hides them so the people won't get hurt."  
  
Mikki placed her hand on Shigure's. He hadn't realized that he was now sitting.  
  
"Mari's strong. She's been trying to fight off the other children and not let their hurtful words get to her. I've tried to get her to open up to them but she doesn't want to." Shigure looked at his daughter's teacher and studied her. Her green eyes where shinning with tears, and her brown hair was falling softly against her face. She was very petite and her fingers were free of rings. Shigure placed his hand under her chin and looked deep into her eyes.  
  
"Don't cry Mikki. We can both help Mari get past this. I'll support her at home and you support her here at school."  
  
Shigure stood up. Mikki looked at Shigure and nodded. "She's lucky to have a father like you to take care of her."  
  
Shigure smiled at the young teacher and then went to pick up his little girl.  
  
While the two were walking home, Shigure decided to ask Mari about the conversation that he had just had with her teacher. "Mari? Why haven't you told me about the other children at school making fun of you? Don't you know that I am always there for you?"  
  
Mari put on a slight pout on her face. "I didn't want to disappoint you daddy. Yuki and Kyou and Tohru all have so many friends who are so nice and I didn't want you to be mad at me for not having many."  
  
"Baby, you know I wouldn't be mad at you. I just want to help you in every way that I can."  
  
"But you can't stop them from making fun of me."  
  
Shigure knew what his daughter was saying was true. When Kisa started her new school, it was all through her own willpower that she changed. But how could he teach Mari about that?  
  
"Daddy? Don't tell anyone about this okay? I don't want them to make fun of me too."  
  
"I won't. But you know that they wouldn't make fun of you."  
  
"I thought the kids at this school wouldn't either." Mari grabbed her father's hand tighter. Shigure fought back tears for his little girl.  
  
"You know we all love you very much Mari."  
  
"But mommy said to never show people your true weaknesses or else they will try to hurted you."  
  
Shigure bit his lip at the thought of his old wife. "I may have loved her," he thought, "but I never believed in her ideas about keeping everything inside of yourself." "Mari? You can show people your true feelings. And if they really love you, they will understand. I promise. And at school, your teacher promised to try to help you. Give her a chance too."  
  
Mari's eyebrows crunched together, deep in thought. She smiled after a few moments. "K!"  
  
Shigure let out a sigh of relief. His daughter could change emotions so quickly. Sometimes, it bothered him. But he couldn't let that bother him now. Mari was here with him and she wasn't going to go anywhere.  
  
~~Later that Night~~  
  
Tohru was sitting at the table, reading a book for school when Mari came up behind her.  
  
"Tohru? Whatcha doing?"  
  
"Reading for school."  
  
"What are you readin'?"  
  
"Night." (A/N: I just finished this book for English about the Holocaust and I just loved it. It's all that's on my mind since we just took the test on it, so I'm sorry if they don't read books like this in Japan)  
  
"Night?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
Mari sat down behind Tohru and Tohru watched Mari out of the corner of her eye. Mari started playing with Tohru's hair. Tohru smiled at the girl.  
  
"Keep on reading Tohru. I'm gonna braid your hairs!" Mari got up and came back with a hair tie and brush. Mari careful pulled out Tohru's ribbons and stared brushing the teenage girl's hair. When she was finished, Mari attempted to braid Tohru's hair and after many failed attempts, Mari was finally satisfied. She tied off the bow then went to look at Tohru from the front. "Perfect!" she shouted.  
  
Tohru looked up fro her reading to see the mirror that Mari was holding up. Mari's braid was simple, loosely woven together and her bow had one loop way larger than the other, but Tohru loved it. She could tell that Mari had put her time and soul into that braid. Tohru put her book down. "Arigato Mari. It's the best braid I have ever seen." Tohru opened her arms for Mari to climb into. Mari accepted the invitation. She cuddled close to the older girl and soon fell asleep. Tohru smiled at the girl and softly brushed the hair away from the petite girl's face.  
  
"Kyou-kun," Tohru softly called, "tell Shigure-san that Mari fell asleep."  
  
Kyou stuck his head in from the other room. He nodded at Tohru and quietly motioned Shigure. Shigure smiled and went upstairs to prepare the girl's bed. Kyou carried her up the stairs. Shigure changed the girl into her pajamas. Mari awoke slightly.  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
"Shhhh. Go back to sleep. Everything's fine."  
  
"I saw mommy while I was sleeping. She said that she's sorry for everything she's put us through." Mari fell back asleep.  
  
Kyou left the room soon after enough, but stayed long enough to see Shigure mutter, "I know baby, I see her too" and silently cry next to his little girl, the only thing that was keeping him alive.  
  
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So there you go. I am so sorry for the long wait once again. The whole part about Tohru and Mari was inspired by six-year-old cousin (she's not five anymore!) and the time I spent at her house over the weekend and her obsession with doing people's hair. I just love her so much! Oh, and I was rereading my story when I realized that well, I really didn't explain as much about Mari's mom as I would have liked, so this chapter is kinda like a filler. Thanks for staying with me everyone! I love you all so much! Wish me luck on finals!  
  
Another note: people tell me I'm turning into Yukino from Kare Kano. school is ruling my life and all those clubs for next year. errr. just though you would like to know. but that means I'll meet an Arima! So I'm fine with that! LOL. See ya later and keep reading my story! 


	6. Tears of the Cat

A/N: School is out for me! Now I will try to actually update more often. Sorry if anyone got really mad at me. So here you go and enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: I just realized that I am sick and tired of shojos-but I won't stop this story-I like to too much-guess I could never create a shojo so Fruits Basket defiantly isn't mine.  
  
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~~Tears of the Cat~~  
  
Tohru was cleaning up around her room when Mari wandered in.  
  
"Tohru? Can you play with me when you're done? Daddy's editor is complaining to him about not finishing a story, Kyou is out helping Momiji with somethin', and Yuki is gone to his little garden." Mari stopped. "But, if you're busy, I can play by myself. 'S okay."  
  
Tohru softened her eyes to the girl and shock her head. "Of course I'll play with you." Tohru could never say no to Mari. "Just let me finish cleaning up here."  
  
"Okay!" Mari walked towards Tohru's nightstand and saw the picture of Tohru's mother. "Tohru, who's that lady?"  
  
Tohru looked up towards where Mari was pointing. "That's my mother. She died about a year ago."  
  
"But whys don't you live with your daddy like I do?"  
  
"My father is gone too."  
  
Mari looked at Tohru, the girl she had always looked up to. "She's just like me," she thought, "but unluckier. I shouldn't be so sad. I still have daddy." Mari wrapped her arms around Tohru's waist (or at least as close as she could get for being so very small), and wouldn't let go.  
  
"Mari? Don't worry about it. I'm fine." Thoughts ran across Tohru's mind. "Maybe I shouldn't have told her. What if this makes things worse?! I'm so stupid sometimes! Oh, I hope Shigure won't get disappointed in me for telling her!"  
  
"Tohru?"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"Do you miss your mother?"  
  
"Yes, yes I do. So very much. But I must get through life and high school for her. She's always showing me the path to take."  
  
Mari looked up at Tohru and started to cry.  
  
"Don't cry!"  
  
"But it's so sad that nice people like you have to be in the same pain that I am!"  
  
Tears  
  
"Mari. you're a nice person too. not just me. in fact, I think I take everything for granted."  
  
"But I shoulda told mommy that I wanted to see daddy more. Now, because I couldn't tell her, daddy cries all the time and it's all my fault!"  
  
Tears  
  
Tohru took the small girl into her arms and let tears of her own fall. "She's so strong and hides everything well. She's grown up in such a horrible world so far," Tohru thought, "who knows how she's get on the right path again." "Dear Mari-chan. don't cry. Everything will work out for both us. I promise you that."  
  
Mari started to snob and soon her crying stopped. Mari kept her head against Tohru's chest and listened to her heartbeat. Tohru hummed slightly as she faced her window and stroked the hairs on Mari's head. Tohru didn't know what to say to the girl. She never had met anyone who hid their feelings so deep that if they ever came out that they would have no control over them whatsoever. Tohru sighed deeply. "What's going to become of this girl?" Tohru thought again. "The Sohma's are already pushing her out of their traditions and have marked her unlucky. I just hope she's strong enough to go on."  
  
Breeze through window  
  
"Mari?"  
  
"Tohru?"  
  
"I want you to remember something for me."  
  
The young girl sat up and looked up at Tohru. "What?"  
  
"You'll always be my lucky cat. Don't let anyone tell you either wise." Tohru gently kissed Mari on the forehead.  
  
Mari looked up at Tohru. "Okay."  
  
Silence  
  
"You know, daddy tolded me the same thing." "Oh? Shigure-san told you that too?"  
  
Mari nodded her head. "Yup. After the last time we went to the Sohma house and some of the people there made fun of me. 'You'll always be my lucky cat Mari,' daddy tolded me. 'You remember that when people try to hurt you. Remember that you're always your father's luckiest cat.'"  
  
Tohru brushed the fallen hairpieces away from Mari's small face and kissed the dear child's forehead again. "Shigure-san is right you know. Everyone here loves you so very much. Sohma-sama, Kyou-kun, Shigure-san, Tohru-kun. All of us. You also know that Momiji and Haru care for you too. See, you have place in all of our hearts. You're everyone's lucky cat."  
  
"But what 'bout Kyou? He's a cat too. Can I still be his lucky cat?"  
  
"I think Kyou-kun would love for you to be his luckiest cat."  
  
Mari was silent for a few moments. In her mind was a mix of memories; some caused pain, while others brought happiness. Memories of the good times she spent with her mother; memories of all those horrible times she spent with her mother; memories of coming home with her father; memories of finally starting a relationship with her father that she wanted for so long; memories of Kyou spending time with her; memories of Kyou protecting her. In her mind, everything was mess. Nothing made sense and it seemed as if nothing ever would.  
  
Here she was at age three, lost in a world that made no sense, which had no justice. But this child wouldn't let this view of the world stop her from learning about and trying to make it a better place.  
  
~~That Evening~~  
  
Kyou came home from going out to meet with a group for a project a bit troubled. Kyou wasn't one to obsess over his grades, but at the rate this project was going, things weren't looking too great. He went to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of tea and sat down at the main table, lost in thought. Yuki walked in, home from his group project, poured himself a cup of ice water and sat opposite Kyou. The cat and rat sat in silence, barely noting the presence of the other.  
  
"I hate this," Yuki thought. "Only half of us are working on this project and I need this grade to keep in the top of the class."  
  
"I hate this," Kyou thought. "Only half of us are working on this project and I need this grade to keep my grades reasonable."  
  
The two natural enemies looked at each other, frowned, and then went back to their cups of tea. Then came a knocking on the door. Shigure got up and answered it, to find Hatori standing right in front of him.  
  
"Hatori! Surprise to see you here."  
  
"Well, I heard Mari was here."  
  
"I'm sure she'll be glad to see you."  
  
"I also brought along----"  
  
A flash of long, white year and a plum colored robe came through the door.  
  
"Where is that dear child of yours Shigure?"  
  
In the next room, Yuki flinched. "Ayame," he muttered.  
  
Shigure smiled. "Mari dear? Can you come down here? You have some company."  
  
"'K daddy." Mari came down the stairs. "Uncle Ayame! Uncle Hatori!" Mari ran to greet her uncles. Ayame picked up the small girl.  
  
"My have you grown! You're looking more beautiful every time I see you! How old are you now? Ten? Fifteen?"  
  
Mari giggled. "Nope! I'm phree!"  
  
"Three? Only? I bet your dad has to fight off all those teenagers who want to marry you."  
  
"You're so silly Uncle Ayame." Mari gave her uncle a hug. "Uncle Hatori!" Mari reached her arms towards him. Tohru, who was watching from the stairs, expected Hatori not to take the girl, but surprisingly, he accepted the girl's offer.  
  
"Uncle Hatori! I missed you. Mommy would take me to doctors who smelled funny and talked weird!"  
  
Hatori smiled a bit at the girl. "Well, how about that. You only missed me because I don't smell funny, then?"  
  
"Oh no! That's not what I mean! I misseded you all the time!" Mari looked up at her uncle. Hatori smiled and nodded and the girl knew that he was only joking; she smiled and hugged her uncle.  
  
Shigure smiled at his little girl. He remembered the last time Mari had seen Ayame and Hatori, back about six months ago. "Finally," he thought. "We can all be together once again."  
  
Yuki came from the room next door and shock his head at his older brother. "Ayame. don't disturb the child."  
  
"Yuki! How have you been! I cry myself to sleep each night, wanting to be near you! My, you've grown so much! Don't worry, you'll always be my special someone. even if you aren't as cute as Mari is. but still! I will forever love you! Come to think of it, let's go bond right now!" Ayame has his arms wrapped around Yuki before he goes on. "You and me need more time together! Let's go the forest and live together and become the best of brothers. " (A/N: During this speech, Ayame's rejected trumpet music is playing in the back ground. How can you not love it?!)  
  
"Ayame. " Yuki's eyebrow started to flinch as his brother continued on. Then Yuki dumped the ice from his water down the back of Ayame's coat. In an instant, there was a white cloud of transformation and there was a white snake, crying tears.  
  
"Yuki! How could you! You're so mean to me! Why do you act like this towards me all the time! I just want to get to know you better!"  
  
Yuki just shock his head in disgust at his brother before bowing to everyone around him. "I'm sorry that you had to see that." Then he walked out.  
  
Kyou was watching this from his seat at the table and laughed a bit as Yuki walked by. Yuki didn't mind; he knew that just this once, Kyou was on his side. However, everyone in the other room was silent with huge eyes staring at Ayame.  
  
"Uncle Ayame! I've nevered seened you as your snake form! You're so cute!" Mari crouched down near the snake. She carefully picked it up and started petting it. Hatori just shock his head, as if he saw this coming all along and Shigure laughed. He truly did laugh.  
  
Tohru came down the stairs. "Hello, Hatori-san, Ayame-san."  
  
Hatori nodded to Tohru. "Tohru."  
  
In-between cuddles with Mari, Ayame said, "Tohru."  
  
"You two must be hungry. I have some leftovers I can feed you. I'll go heat it up right now," Tohru ran out of the room.  
  
Mari got an idea. "Wait a moment Uncle Ayame. I'll be right back." Mari ran up the stairs and then came down with Kyuri. She placed Kyuri on Ayame's back. "Theres. Kyuri can ride on Ayame's back."  
  
Laughter  
  
Truly, there was laughter.  
  
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This was kinda touching, wasn't it? I am so sorry about the delay-just blame my life and computer. I just reread my outline and saw that I didn't follow it the way I wanted to, so now this story is just going in every which way. I bet it'll be a fun ride. Yeah! Oh yeah, AX is coming really soon and I'm almost 100% sure I'm going as Yukino Miyazma from Kare Kano. I know, I am anti-shojo, but her winter school uniform is so cool! Plus, it gives me the excuse to make a school uniform to wear next year around school. I have his obsession with sailor fukus. I'm gonna make a bunch and wear them all the time. Sorry about the rambling. But Lucky Cat is on a roll and I don't think it'll be stopping anytime soon. Even if my computer stops working, I will find one that does and finish this story! Stay with my story and all reviews are appreciated. ~D-Yai~ 


	7. Visit Shadows

A/N: I am finally free, so I can write! Yeah! Thanks for saying with my little story.  
  
Disclaimer: When I tell people that I like Fruits Basket, they give me strange looks since they think it means something naughty. So if I owned it, I would have made the name sound a bit less naughty.  
  
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~~Visit Shadows~~  
  
Shigure was sitting in his office when Mari wandered in and whispered something into his ear. After a few moments of thought, Shigure nodded to his daughter who put on a small smile. "Just don't tell the others," Shigure whispered to his little girl. "I'll tell them about it tomorrow before we go."  
  
"'K." Mari climbed up to sit on her father's lap and watched him as he typed up the end of the chapter he was currently working on. He kissed the top of Mari's head and placed her on the floor.  
  
"How about we go for a walk to the city?"  
  
"Oh! Can we?"  
  
"Yep. Let's get your coat. It's getting cold for the evening."  
  
Then, hand in hand, father and daughter left for a quiet walk among the stars, laughing and treasuring the time they spent together. The pains of the past and the uncertainty of the future never crossed their minds; only the joyfulness of the present.  
  
But.  
  
How long would this joyfulness last? Will it ever run out? Are the paths of this dog and this cat forever cursed or for once with this cat provide enough luck for the both of them to help them keep on going on?  
  
Shigure and Mari never thought of these questions. Only the one known as Kyou-kun did. In his mind, terrible thoughts of the cats from the past ran through his mind. He prayed that Mari would never have these pains or cause them upon anyone else. It worried his thoughts, his way of life. and he hated it. He knew that if Shigure and Mari never worried, why should he? Why should he always carry the weight that the others never felt?!  
  
"Because I am the horrible cat," Kyou muttered out loud. "The cats before me never caused anyone any pain. so why do I?"  
  
"Kyou-kun, you know that's not true." Kyou looked up sharply to see Tohru standing by his doorway. "I'm so sorry for eavesdropping, but if this is how you truly feel, you should talk to someone."  
  
Kyou looked at Tohru and then placed his head into his hands. "I mustn't make her worry," he thought. "She'll get overworked and make herself sick again." He then put on a weak smile. "Everything is fine Tohru. Nothing is wrong."  
  
Tohru shock her head from side to side. "No; you're worried about Mari, aren't you?"  
  
Kyou wouldn't look at Tohru. He just stared at a spot on the floor.  
  
"It's natural to be worried. She hides everything so well, but she has you to look up to. And Shigure-san helps her--"  
  
"You don't understand!" Kyou raised his voice and Tohru bit her lip. Kyou stood up so he was at eye level with Tohru. "How can you not see it?!"  
  
"Kyou-kun--"  
  
Kyou's anger got the best of him and he took Tohru by the shoulders. He started breathing heavily and looked right into Tohru's frightened eyes. For a few moments, that's how they stood. Then Tohru placed her hand against Kyou's cheek, gently. Kyou didn't pull back; he just placed his own hand on top of hers.  
  
Then he cried.  
  
Kyou cried.  
  
Tohru wanted to embrace him to try to comfort him, but she knew that that could never happen. So she let his head rest against her shoulder. Then Kyou surprised Tohru by embracing her in a hug. The white cloud of transformation came upon the both of them and when it cleared, Kyou was sitting in Tohru's lap, still crying.  
  
Tohru held close the orange cat and the two sat in silence. She knew what he was thinking. "He worries so much about Mari," she thought. "He worries so much about her and her future. Is he trying to make sure that she doesn't end up with the hatred that he grew up with?"  
  
The cat got up and quietly thanked Tohru before walking out. Tohru continued sitting on the floor when Yuki walked in.  
  
"Honda-san?"  
  
"Oh, Sohma-sama."  
  
"What seems to be the matter?" Yuki then spotted Kyou's clothes on the floor. "What did that damn cat do to you?!"  
  
"It's nothing Sohma-sama. Kyou-kun was just feeling really horrible and worried about Mari and Shigure-san so Honda-san had to comfort him."  
  
"You sure it's nothing?"  
  
Tohru nodded gently. "Kyou-kun just needs some time to think everything through." Then from the next room the white smoke appeared.  
  
Yuki gathered up Kyou's clothes. "I'll give these to him."  
  
"Arigato Sohma-sama."  
  
Then after, the house remained silent until Mari and her father returned. Kyou greeted them first.  
  
"Kyou! I saweded a firefly!"  
  
"Really?"  
  
"It was all glowy and really pretty."  
  
Kyou looked at Shigure, who was smiling at his daughter. When they caught each other's eye, Shigure nodded at Kyou, as if answering his unasked question.  
  
"Come on Mari. How about I make you a cup of tea?"  
  
"'K!" Mari followed her older cousin into the kitchen. Shigure stood by the door and smiled at the two cats.  
  
"Shigure?"  
  
Shigure looked up to see Yuki standing in front of him. "Yes?"  
  
"Is this Kyou's second chance at life as well?"  
  
Shigure looked at Kyou, who was laughing along with Mari as she described how she tripped while chasing a firefly, and nodded at Yuki.  
  
"Kyou's second chance is just starting now."  
  
~~Next Day~~  
  
Shigure and Mari rose in the morning earlier than the others and were about to leave when the others awoke.  
  
"Shigure? Where are you going to early in the morning? It's not like you to get up this earlier," Yuki questioned.  
  
Shigure felt Mari tighten her grip on his hand. "Well," he started. "Mari asked me if we could visit her mother's grave today since she wanted to leave some flowers for her."  
  
Silence  
  
Shigure cleared his throat. "Well, we'll be back by this evening, depending on how long the subway takes." The two started to turn when Kyou stopped them.  
  
"Wait. I need to give you something."  
  
Kyou ran towards his room and came back with an envelope. "Open this and read it when you get to the grave. Then you can burn the letter at her grave." He handed the envelope to Shigure who tucked it into his bag.  
  
"Arigato." Kyou then knelled to Mari's level and Mari gave Kyou a hug.  
  
"I'll tell mommy that you said hello okay?" Mari was silent and then whispered something to her father. Shigure whispered to Kyou and Kyou nodded then went to get ready. Mari turned to Yuki and Tohru.  
  
"I want mommy to meet Kyou to show her that just cuz you're a cat that it doesn't mean you're all alone and no one likes you. Is that okay with you two?"  
  
Tohru have Mari a kiss on the forehead. "Of course. I think that it's wonderful for you to show your mother Kyou-kun."  
  
Yuki nodded his approval and smiled slightly at Shigure. Kyou was now ready and the three were off.  
  
It was a pretty long ride since Mari's mother family wanted her to be buried near them out far into the mountains. The ride was mainly in silence, since no one really knew what to say to each other. When they finally reached the grave, Mari placed her flowers on her mother's grave and started talking to her.  
  
"Look mommy; I came to see you. See, I'm so happy right now with daddy and everyone from his family, I wish you could be here too." Mari pulled out a picture frame from inside her coat. "I had daddy make a copy of this picture so you can keep it with you."  
  
Kyou looked at the picture that Mari had placed on her mother's grave. It was taken the last time Shigure had seen Mari and her mother before she died. The three of them were sitting on a bench in a park and everyone happy. Kyou noticed how young Mari's mother had looked. She had blonde hair that softly surrounded her face and huge light blue eyes. She had her hand resting gently on Shigure's and Mari was leaning against her father. If her hadn't known better, he would have thought that this was a normal family; one that never saw any pain.  
  
Kyou looked over towards Shigure saw that he was fighting back tears as he heard Mari tell her mother everything that has been happening to her over the past few months.  
  
" .And then daddy bought me a new doll named Kyuri and once when Uncle Ayame came over he turned into a snake and she rode on him. It was so much fun. I wish you could have been there to sees it. I knowed you would like everyone on daddy's side of family. They are all so nice to me and they woulded have been nice to you too. "  
  
And Mari continued talking. She didn't want to stop. "Mommy," she said. "Why did you go? Was it because of me? I hopeded it was not. You would like to see me now. I'm not afraid anymore. I don't hide from everything. I want to knowed more about everything." She grabbed Kyou's hand. "See mommy? This is Kyou. He's my favoriteist cousin ever. You know what? He's a cat too! Just like me! And he's happy and has friends and family to turn to. Daddy takes care of him too, just like he's taking care of me now."  
  
Tears  
  
"I wish you didn't have to go mommy. I want you to be happy with us."  
  
Tears  
  
"They said I couldn't see you anymore, but you know what? I still see you. Everyday. You still sing songs to me and play with me and talk to me when I don't know what to do."  
  
Tears  
  
"And daddy says you still talk to him too. So can you pleawse keep talking to us? You help us even though you're gone."  
  
Mari hunched over the grave and started to cry even harder. Shigure tried to fight back his own tears of pain and held his daughter against his chest as he started to cry himself. Kyou let a tear escape from him as well and just stood in silence as he watched the fallen, broken family tried to make sense of the world around them.  
  
After a few minutes, Shigure's face was tear stricken and red and Mari was still slightly whimpering.  
  
"Kyou, I need to talk to Mari's mother alone for awhile. Would you mind. ?"  
  
"No problem. I understand." Kyou picked up Mari and went slightly down the path and held Mari close to his heart.  
  
"Mari," Kyou thought. "I'll be here for you all the time. I'll never leave you. You're more than Shigure's kid to me. You're like my own kid."  
  
Shigure collected his thoughts and straighten the picture and flowers his little girl had place before him.  
  
"I never thought I'd been standing here, talking to you like this already. I was hoping to wait quiet a few more years. But can't be mad at you. You know that. I could never get mad at you. I've loved you ever since I first met you." Shigure ran his hand through his hair and stood in silence as the wind blew around him.  
  
"But I guess it's finally time I told you everything; everything I ever wanted to tell you."  
  
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I was going to go on with this chapter, but I can't. I have to think about it more. I am such a horrible author, allowing Shigure to suffer like this. And Mari. She's three. Damn it. Three! I never meant for this story to get so dark. I knew I wanted to it be dramatic, but wow. I didn't expect it to get so, cruel to Mari, Shigure, and Kyou. But that's what you do when you write; the story gets the best of you and runs away. (Slaps self on cheek for making the characters suffer so much) Okay. That's better. So thanks for staying with the story and everything and the next section should come soon and don't worry; I didn't forget Kyou's letter. Until later, D-Yai. 


	8. Truth Hurts

A/N: Sorry about the big delay. I've just been so busy-it's not even funny. For AX I ended up going as Paiway Underberg from Vandread-the one with the Kero-Kero purse and pink camera. Did you see me? Well, here you go with the chapter and I'll try updating soon-just I have so much summer work for school to do and I'm so busy. So sorry again!  
  
Disclaimer: Sue if you want, but all I got is a piece of gum. Gum makes you smarter! It's been proven! But still, I don't own Fruits Basket.  
  
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~~Truth Hurts~~  
  
Shigure stood there, over his wife's grave, for nearly fifteen minutes. Still, Shigure had no idea what to say or where to start.  
  
"So there you have it. You left us. I guess I have no other way of putting it. I wish I could say that I wish I could have been there for you more or moved in with you, but I can't. You were the one who pulled away. Not me. I still loved you and you still loved me. But why couldn't you just live with my family?"  
  
Shigure stopped, frustrated with everything. He pulled out a cigarette, and started smoking.  
  
"Look what you did to me! You know that I was able to stop almost completely, but then you died and my world just came tumbling down. Now I can't turn to smoking to comfort me anymore; I use to only smoke after seeing you and Mari for those short visits every few months, but after you died. I started up more. But I can't continue like this. I don't want Mari to pick up this habit or breathe in the smoke. But nothing else calms me. only you."  
  
Shigure blew smoke into the air and watched it dissolve into the air.  
  
"So you know what? I'll stop smoking all together this time. I thought I wanted to last time; I said I would for you, but not this time. I'll stop for our daughter. So she doesn't have to watch me slowly kill myself and live in true pain." He finished his cigarette and threw it in the closest trashcan and smiled at the grave. "I'll come back when I've gone a year without one. You'll see. I can take responsibility for all of my actions."  
  
Shigure then knelled in front of the grave and placed a single flower of his own. It was a white rose with a yellow ribbon tied to it.  
  
"I know that this has always been your favorite flower and yellow has always been your favorite color. See, I remember. I'll never forget this beauty that you loved so much."  
  
Shigure then let out a smile.  
  
"Hey. Whenever I end up where you are, you better remember all of my favorites or else you'll regret it."  
  
He let a tear slide down his face and he closed his eyes, imagining his wife laughing and then taking his hand in hers and kissing his cheek, ever so gently.  
  
"I still love you. You know that? And will always."  
  
Shigure stood up and motioned towards Kyou. Kyou carried Mari over and noticed the flower that was now there.  
  
"Kyou, I think it's time for you to read your letter to her." Shigure pulled out Kyou's letter from his bag. "We can leave if you want us to. "  
  
"No; I was expecting for you to read the letter yourself. There's so much in it I want you to hear." Kyou opened the envelope and looked over at Mari and Shigure before he began.  
  
"Even though I never got to know you as well as some of the others, I still feel as if I should talk to you now. Your name, never spoken now and may never be spoken again in our family haunts me. It reminds me of hate, of love, of pain, of hope.  
  
"I've only met you twice-once when you wed Shigure-I was only 12-and once at a New Years at the main house when I was 15. You seemed so gentle, so kind. At your wedding, you could tell that you loved my cousin with all your heart. At New Years, you were so proud of Mari, even though you knew she would never be part of the celebrations.  
  
"That's when I first got to know Mari. You came up to me with Mari waddling next to you. You gave me Mari's hand, asking me to watch her. 'You're Kyou right?' you asked. 'The other cat?' I nodded. 'Do you mind watching Mari for me? The celebrations are about to start. I need to go visit my family and they don't understand why everyone can't hold Mari. I'll be back soon. If I'm not back before the end of the celebrations are done, you can take her to Shigure. He knows about this.'  
  
" 'Sure. It's nothing,' I muttered.  
  
" 'Thank you so much.' You kissed Mari on the nose. 'I'll be right back baby. Stay here and have fun with Kyou.' You touched my hand and gently told me thank you. Then you left.  
  
"I was left with Mari. I hadn't really got to spend time with her until that moment.  
  
" 'So you're the next cat, huh? You'd better learn how to defend yourself then squirt.'  
  
"Then Mari smiled at me. I know it sounds stupid, but that smile changed everything. I felt as if Mari was closer to me than anyone had ever been. From that moment on, everything changed."  
  
Kyou stopped to catch his breath and clear his voice, which was already become shaken with tears.  
  
"I spent that evening playing with Mari. For the first time, I didn't feel as if I was missing a family tradition. I was laughing for the first time in years. Even that rat Yuki noticed the difference. When he came down the hallway, he found me rolling a ball back and forth with little Mari, smiling. He stopped, stared, blinked, and then walked along, refusing to believe what he saw. Mari was the next cat and I had already made up my mind that I didn't want her to suffer the way that I did.  
  
"Over those few days, Mari was the center attention. Even Akito acted gentle towards her. Momiji was even able to find a butterfly to show her. No one cared that she was the cat. It didn't bother them. You must have had something to do with it. You were so open with everyone and everyone could see that Shigure was finally truly happy.  
  
"But, I never saw you again. No one ever did. You pulled away from us. But why did you do that? Everyone thought you were happy. I still remember how Shigure looked after that night you left with Mari. His face tear-stricken, his thoughts never collected. There was nothing he could do. Nothing we could do. But eventually he seemed to recover and so did the rest of us. Those days after he saw you and Mari were when he was happiest; when his happiness wasn't fake. I only Mari a few times after that-Shigure thought it would help Mari get to know her family better-when in reality it was helping me even more. I had let all that training take over my life and I wasn't sure how to recover.  
  
"Then came the news of your death. Shigure seemed so calm when he told us, as if he wasn't affected by it. But that's not true. He was shaken; you could clearly see it. But then he came home with Mari and everything changed. Everything seemed to go at a different pace. It was as if we were living in a dream."  
  
Kyou stopped reading his letter. He thought of ending it there, making up an ending, but he couldn't. He took another deep breath and continued on.  
  
"Mari's growing everyday. So are the rest of us. We all are learning to cope with our mistakes and put aside our differences. I guess what I'm trying to say is that you've had a part in that. I can never thank you personality, but I hope that you can hear me now. I just hope that you haven't formed hatred towards all of the cats in our family and are willing to accept each of us."  
  
Kyou refolded his letter and placed it back in the envelop before setting it on the grave. Without speaking, Shigure handed Kyou his lighter and all three of them watched in silence as the letter burned and disappeared into ashes. The wind then blew the pieces around them before sending them off. This whole time Mari hugged her father and buried her face into his jacket.  
  
She didn't know whether or not if she was suppose to cry or if she was suppose to stay silent. She always glanced at her father, then to Kyou, then back to her father. Both of them had on grim faces that never changed. She felt tears coming down her face and the girl tried to rub them away, but they always fell.  
  
"Kyou really loves me," she thought. "Just like daddy does. I never knowed that."  
  
Shigure looked down at his daughter whose eyes were red from crying and her cheeks rosy from the breeze and more tears.  
  
"Mari," he started softy. "Why don't you go to Kyou. I think he needs you more than I do right now."  
  
Mari walked over towards Kyou, who was stilling standing in the place where he read the letter. She wrapped her arms around her cousin and started crying again. Kyou's own face was wet with tears. He brought his hand around the young girl's head and knelled down next her. He let Mari cry all over the collar of his jacket as he tried to stop his own tears from flowing. Yet, they never seemed to.  
  
~~A Few Hours Later~~  
  
The three sat on the train back home in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Soon, Mari was asleep in Shigure's arms. Shigure brushed Mari's bangs away from her face and kissed her forehead.  
  
"Hopefully," Shigure said to Kyou, "now she start leading the kind of life a three year should."  
  
Kyou nodded at Shigure and held one of Mari's hands in his own.  
  
"Thank you for asking me to come," he whispered to the girl. Yet another tear escaped from Kyou's eye.  
  
When they got home that evening, both Tohru and Yuki were anxiously waiting for them. Mari, still a bit drowsy from the ride didn't really eat her dinner and Shigure had to go and put her to bed.  
  
Yuki turned to Kyou and asked how everything went.  
  
"It went fine," Kyou started. "We learned things about each other that we didn't know before."  
  
"So Mari is. " Yuki started.  
  
"Yeah. She's going to be okay. I think everything is going to start working out better." Kyou smiled and went back to his dinner.  
  
That night, when everyone was asleep, Kyou sat on top of the roof, just thinking about the day that had just past him when he heard a small voice.  
  
"Kyou!"  
  
Kyou looked over to see Mari climbing across the roof.  
  
"Mari! What are you doing here? Shigure is going to kill you if he finds you up here!" Kyou grabbed the girl to make sure that she didn't fall off.  
  
"I just wanted to be with you Kyou. I hoped that I didn't make you too sad for comin' with us today."  
  
"No. I'm glad you asked me to come. I loved talking to your mother." Kyou held Mari against him and felt her hands wrap around him.  
  
"I lowve you Kyou." Mari reached up and kissed Kyou gently on the cheek.  
  
Kyou ruffled Mari's hair and kissed the top of her head. "I love you too Mari."  
  
The two cats sat there on the roof all night, waiting for the sunrise. This sunrise, unknowing to them, represented their new beginnings; their new chances at life.  
  
Kyou, older and wiser than the smaller one, was learning how to truly love, how to truly live life.  
  
Mari, younger and naïve, was learning how to adapt to her situations and how to accept the things around her.  
  
Both were learning how start over, how to allow people into their lives, and luckily, both were learning these lessons very quickly.  
  
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A/N: Again, I'm so sorry about the long wait. I'll try to add a few more chapters soon. Okay. So I hope you liked this chapter and keep on reading my little story. Kyou rocks! Hahahahaha. Oh, I hope I'm not making Kyou way too soft-it's just that Mari has really changed him okay? So please don't be mad! So I'll talk to ya all later and, well, this has nothing to do with the story but, Kodocha #8 is out and is so good! Everyone has to read it; but it's only really good if you know the chapters, so read #7 and #6 at least before #8. Cheerio folks. I'm off to a party/get-together. ~D- Yai~ 


	9. Days that Dance By

A/N: I wrote this just for you! (um, the whole, what, four people who read this?!) I glad at least you like it and don't hate me for making the characters go through all of the horrible things I make them go through and my infrequent updates. Hehehehehe. Just to note, the Sailor Moon theme song does NOT help you concentrate. It just pisses you off after listening to it too many times. Yep, I was listening to random anime music while I wrote this. You gotta find your mood music!  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned Fruits Basket, Tohru would have died in the first episode. Evil, I know.  
  
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~~Days that Dance By~~  
  
A few days after the visit to the grave, everything started to set in place once again. Kyou still picked fights with Yuki, Tohru smiled naively towards everyone, Shigure still had his editor on the run, and Mari was acting cheerful. Everything was the way that it was suppose to be.  
  
Kyou found a picture one morning, hidden deep in one of his boxes. It was a picture of him and his master when Kyou was about nine. Kyou smiled to himself.  
  
"Someday," he said softy, "I'll be able to call you father."  
  
"Call who father?"  
  
Kyou turned around to see Mari standing behind him in her pajamas, rubbing her eyes. She yawned slightly before mumbling, "Ohayo."  
  
"Ohayo."  
  
"So who can do you want to call father?"  
  
"The man who took me in when no one else would. he also taught me about martial arts."  
  
"So why can't you call him father?"  
  
"I really don't know how to explain it."  
  
"Well," Mari sat down next to him, "you can always call my daddy your daddy if you ever wanted. I'm sure daddy won't minded very much. He already looks after you and Yuki and Tohru."  
  
Kyou laughed before shaking his head at the girl. "I don't think that Shigure would like it very much if I suddenly started calling him my father."  
  
Mari shrugged her shoulders before holding up a small, stuffed orange cat towards Kyou.  
  
"Look. Daddy boughted me an orange cat to go with Kyuri so she had someone to play with. But I don't know what to name the cat. Do you?"  
  
"I've never been great at giving things names."  
  
"What if I call her Kagura so then Kagura can be with an orange cat all the time."  
  
"Mari," Kyou started saying, flinching slightly, "are you seriously gonna call her Kagura?"  
  
"Hmmm. " Mari pondered the idea for a few moments. "YEP!" Mari then got up to tell her father the good news and possibly call Kagura.  
  
"Great. Kagura got an orange cat named after her. Now she's gonna use that as an excuse to start poking around here again."  
  
Kyou got up and slipped his uniform on before heading down the stairs. Somehow, in the minutes that it took Kyou to put his uniform on, Mari had managed to fully awake, put on her mini uniform, have Tohru help her pull her hair back, announce the name of her orange cat toy, and sit at the table waiting for breakfast.  
  
"Kyou-kun, Mari told of us the name she picked for her cat toy. Did you hear it already?" Shigure asked cheerfully.  
  
"Yes. Yes I did." Kyou sat down at the table.  
  
"I think it's a lovely name," Tohru said as she came in with breakfast. "It's been quite awhile since Kagura has come to visit."  
  
"We should ask her to come here soon," Shigure nodded. "Mari, how would you like to see your cousin Kagura soon?"  
  
"Oh! I would like it very much and I can show her the cat in person."  
  
During this entire conversation, nobody but Kyou noticed that every time Kagura's name was mentioned that Yuki's face started to blush.  
  
"The rat is starting to form this thing for Kagura?" Kyou thought to himself. "I can't believe it! Two of the people that I can't stand. together! I think I'll keep this to myself for awhile until I'm sure of it." Kyou started smirking. This little secret would keep him entertained for the rest of the day.  
  
"Oh, Kyou-kun. Would you mind dropping Mari off today? The editor's coming today and I need to double-check all my work again."  
  
"In other words, you've got to plan how you're gonna drive her crazy."  
  
"Kyou-kun! How could you ever suggest a thing like that!" Shigure let comic tears flow from his face.  
  
"Sure. I'll drop the squirt off," he said motioning towards Mari. "You gonna pick her up or do you need me to do that too?"  
  
"I'll pick her up. You don't need to miss anymore class time."  
  
Mari's school was just a few minutes away from the high school, so the walk wasn't that big of a deal. Kyou walked Mari in and as he was turning away, Mikki Hakuu, Mari's teacher came up to him.  
  
"Um, excuse me? Could I talk to you for a moment?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"First I wanted to apologize for mistaking you for Mari's father. Luckily, her father didn't mind. But if I may ask, how are you related to Mari?"  
  
"Oh, it's no problem and I'm her cousin."  
  
"Also, is Shig- I mean Sohma-san coming to pick her up today."  
  
"Yeah. Why? Is Mari getting into trouble again?"  
  
"Well. " Mikki started before motioned to Kyou to step outside. Once they were outside, Mikki continued. "Mari's finally got fed up with everyone making fun of her and is picking on the other students too often. She's made three kids cry, given one kid a bruise, and tried to push someone off the slide. It's starting to get out of hand. I really need to talk to her father about this." Mikki frowned and noticed the bracelet on Kyou's wrist. "So you have one of those too."  
  
"One of what?"  
  
"Those bracelets. Does it hold any importance to your family?"  
  
"It's more important to some than others. Why?"  
  
"Anytime someone asks Mari to try her bracelet on or ask her questions about it, she gets all angry and starts going on about how they should never ask her to share the bracelet or ask her about it. And this has to do with your family?"  
  
Kyou felt his face growing hot and tried to think of a quick cover up. "You know how little kids are. They over-react to everything. She's just always been attached to the bracelet because I have one and it reminds her of her father's side of the family when she was with her mother." Kyou stopped talking. "I better get goin'. I don't want to be too late to class. Bye."  
  
When Kyou got to class (he actually made it on time), he kept thinking about that teacher. She just kept on bothering him. "She wants to know too much," Kyou thought. "She won't stop until she knows everything."  
  
"Carrothead! What's wrong with you?"  
  
Kyou looked over to see Uo-chan looking at him suspiciously.  
  
"Nothing. Why do you care you damn Yankee?"  
  
"Can't I be bit concerned for a friend? Come on you can tell ol' Arisa Uotani anything." She stuck her face up next to his.  
  
Afraid she may try to touch him if he didn't talk, Kyou pulled his face away and looked foreword as he talked. "You remember Mari right?"  
  
"Yea."  
  
"Well, she's been getting in trouble again at school. Picking fights with the kids who make fun of her. I just don't want her to end up with the same horrible life that I have been living with."  
  
Uo-chan sat on top of Kyou's desk before starting. "Come on. You're life can't be all that horrible."  
  
"You don't even know the half of it."  
  
"But you're there for her right? You listen to her and spend time with her right?"  
  
"Yea. But what's that got to do with anyth--"  
  
"You care for her like she was your own don't you?"  
  
Kyou looked up at Uo-chan with raised eyebrows. "Why do you say that?"  
  
Uo-chan leaned back. "You don't have to pretend to be all tough. I've seen you with that kid, whenever you're watching him for your cousin or uncle or whatever. Tohru's mother always had on the same look whenever she was Tohru. sometimes, even when Hanajima or I was with her. It's perfectly normal for you to be concerned about her. You care about her." She slid off the desk and turned towards Kyou. "Just let her know that you're there for her. She's bright for being only three. She'll be able to figure out that you care, if she already hasn't."  
  
Kyou watched Uo-chan walk over towards Hana-chan and Tohru before slamming his face into his desk. "Damn Yankee."  
  
~~Later that Day~~  
  
Shigure showed up at Mari's school, only to find that Kyou was already sitting there waiting.  
  
"Kyou-kun, I thought I said you didn't have to come here to pick her up today."  
  
"I thought I had to be here. For her."  
  
"But the school will complain about you missing class again."  
  
"They understand. I explained everything to them."  
  
Shigure raised his eyebrow at Kyou, but knew he wasn't going to get any more information from the cat.  
  
Just then, a middle-aged pair of parents ran up towards Kyou.  
  
"You must be Mari's father. Did you know that your girl just gave our precious Taichi a black eye? I'm so glad you're here right now so I can give you a piece of my mi--"  
  
"Please excuse my wife. She's just over-reacting, like usual."  
  
"Actually, I'm not Mari's father. He is." Kyou pointed towards Shigure who was standing beside him, giving a small wave.  
  
Before any more words could be exchanged, Mikki came through the door. "Oh that's great. Sohma-san, pleasure to see you again. And you must be Taichi's parents. Lovely to see you too. Please, if you would." Mikki pointed towards the door she just came through.  
  
Kyou cleared his throat slightly before he talked. "I can take Mari home, if you want."  
  
Mikki looked at the boy and nodded and then Shigure nodded at Kyou. "Mari," Mikki called, "Your cousin's here to take you home."  
  
Mari stepped out from behind the door and avoided eye contact with her father as she took Kyou's hand.  
  
"You mean that little girl gave our Taichi that huge black eye?" his mother stuttered.  
  
"I told you we should have singed him up for martial arts," muttered his father.  
  
Shigure nodded again at Kyou who understood the look in his eye. _Get Mari to talk. It'll help figure this all out if she does._ Mikki motioned for the parents to join her in the room as Kyou and Mari walked off.  
  
Outside of her school, Kyou started talking to Mari. "Hey, would you mind if we stopped by my school? I left my stuff there. It'll only take a moment."  
  
"'K." Mari didn't want to talk; she just hung her head and kept her hand grasped around Kyou's.  
  
When they got to his classroom, Mari let go of Kyou's hand as he picked up his stuff and some of the notes he missed off the teacher desk in front of the room. She wandered around the huge desks and tried to climb up one. After a few unsuccessful tried, she finally made it up one.  
  
"This is sooooooooo high up."  
  
"I think you need a few more years before you fit into one of those desks."  
  
"Kyou, do you get into trouble at school?"  
  
"No, not often. Just every now and then I'll get in a fight. But usually I try to stay clear of most of them. Why?"  
  
"I guess cuz I get into fights a lot at school."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"Cuz they make fun of me since I'm different. They don't like the ways I look, what mommy did, and my bracelet since I don't shareded it with them."  
  
"And you beat them up because of this?"  
  
"Yea. I gave a kid a black eye today. He was trying to pull off my bracelet."  
  
"But did you really have to give him a black eye?"  
  
"No. I guess I just got really mad at him. I said I was sorrwee after he started crying."  
  
"Mari. You know you shouldn't be picking on people. Shigure's taught you better than that."  
  
"I know. And now daddy is going to be so mad at me! What if he doesn't want me anymore? What if he goes away just like mommy did? Where can I go then?"  
  
Kyou looked at the sobbing girl sitting in front of him. He placed all of his stuff down and picked up the girl and let her sobbing slowly turn into hiccups and then eventually disappear.  
  
"Shigure will never get rid of you. I know that. He loves you too much. And if for some reason you can't go to him, you can always come to me."  
  
Mari rubbed her eyes, much like she did in the morning, before whispering, "Arigato."  
  
Kyou was still holding Mari when Yuki walked into the classroom.  
  
"Kyou. ?"  
  
"Shhh. She fell asleep."  
  
"But didn't Shigure say that he was going to pick her up today?"  
  
"Yeah, but he had to stay and talk to her teacher."  
  
"I see. You heading home?"  
  
"Yeah. I think I better. You?"  
  
"Hai. The student committee work just finished."  
  
Kyou shifted Mari to one arm and attempted to pick up his bag.  
  
"Here. I'll get that for you." Yuki walked over and picked up Kyou's bag, much to his surprise.  
  
"Hey. I don't want you to get the idea that I need help or anything."  
  
"Don't worry. I think I can let this one time slip."  
  
So then, the two natural enemies smiled to one another and walked home side by side.  
  
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A/N: So here you go. Can't you just imagine Kyou and Yuki walking home together? How kawaii! Kyou carrying Mari in his arms and Yuki carrying his bag along with Kyou's?! I think I'm gonna go draw that right now. Yes. That is what I'm gonna do. Or at least attempt it. Hehehehehe. So I hoped you liked this little (longer than usual) chapter. I felt guilty about not updating for such a long time so I sat my little butt, took only the really important calls, and wrote for who knows how many hours until I was satisfied with this section. I will update soon since I'm going on vacation for a week in about a week (ha). I am dying to figure out how Shigure reacts to Mari picking fights at school! And I know I need to throw Kagura in here and bring the other characters in here more. So much to think about! Until later, ~D-Yai~ 


	10. Transformation

A/N: I kinda forgot about all of my dance practices before my vacation so this chapter came up slow. Sorry about that everyone. Thanks for staying with story. I love you all! Oh, btw, I got a kimono! I'm so happy! And thank you Arrei! I guess I'm writing this story just for you! LOL. Keep on reading! Thanx a bunch!  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned Fruits Basket, Momiji and Tohru would have gotten together. They deserve each other. Not to be mean; I love Momiji, but it would just work so well!  
  
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~~Transformation~~  
  
Yuki and Kyou walked home together in silence, not sure what to say to each other. Every now and then, Mari shifted herself in Kyou's arms and sighed deeply, as if she was deep in sleep. Kyou smiled to himself whenever he felt Mari grasp her arms around his neck.  
  
Yuki always looked over at the two and smiled a few times himself. He didn't feel jealous of Kyou anymore. He understood what he was going through and how Mari became so attached to him.  
  
Kyou looked over at Yuki and a thought from the morning came to his mind; about Yuki possibly getting interested in Kagura. Kyou played with the idea of asking Yuki about it and the devil part of Kyou won this internal battle.  
  
"So Yuki, what so you think of Kagura comin' over soon? You don't mind, you do?"  
  
"Of-of course not. Why do you ask?"  
  
"I mean, whenever her name is mentioned, your face gets all blushed." Kyou felt this mischievous grin group across his face. "If you want her, you can have her. Get her off my back for a while. Let her forget that we're 'soul-mates'."  
  
"You baka neko! What ever gave you the idea that I have an inter--"  
  
"Shhh. Mari's sleeping. You wouldn't want to make her cry if she woke up."  
  
"Oh. You play dirty. Too dirty. You'll get it later."  
  
Kyou laughed at the fact that he finally had something over Yuki since his face just kept on getting redder and redder. For the rest of the walk home, Yuki kept mumbling to himself and scrunching his eyebrows together.  
  
When they finally reached home, Tohru greeted them. "Ohh, hello you two. I was wondering where you were. " Yuki just walked past her, dumped Kyou's stuff on the floor and walked over to the kitchen. Kyou came in after him, smiling a bit.  
  
"Oh, Kyou-kun, what's wrong with Sohma-sama?"  
  
"Nothing really. I just kinda asked him about something I shouldn't have." He handed Mari over to Tohru, who instantly started stroking the top of Mari's head.  
  
"What did you ask Sohma-sama about, if you don't mind me asking."  
  
"Well, I asked him if he was interested in Ka--" Out of nowhere, Yuki came out and jumped on top of Kyou.  
  
"YOU DAMN CAT!!!!!!" (A/N: Yuki is losing it! Hehehe. I always wanted to see him really, really lose it.)  
  
So this started an on going fight between the rat and cat. Tohru, watched on in fear since she knew that she would never be able to stop it. She set down Mari on a huge pillow in the sitting room and then rushed to watch the fight. She was afraid and didn't want either of the boys to fight. In fact, ever since Mari had come, there had been no real big fights between them.  
  
Luckily, Shigure was walking down the path when he spotted the two appearing to attempting to bite the other one's arm off.  
  
"AH! Kyou-kun! Yuki-kun! Stop this instant!" The two boys looked up at Shigure, who was frowning, scary anime style, at them. They got up, dusted themselves off, and walked into the house.  
  
Tohru stood there, looking at Shigure, who had a very troubled look on his face. "Tohru-kun. We're having company tonight. Mari's teacher wants to come over and talk with all of us."  
  
"Hai. I'll go add some more food for dinner." She hurried inside. "Oh, yes. Mari's sleeping in the sitting room," she called over her shoulder.  
  
Shigure stood outside of his house and shook his head before coming in.  
  
" 'I just want to see the environment that Mari lives in right now, if that's alright with you,' " is what Mikki had said. " 'I also would like to get to talk to everyone that she is growing up in the house with so they can talk to Mari about this very crucial time in her life.' "  
  
"Good thing Ayame isn't here; he'd never understand that this teacher takes everything seriously." Shigure let out a sigh of relief as he sat next to Mari, who was still sound asleep. "She won't be sleeping tonight, but I would hate having to wake her up."  
  
Then there was a knock at the door and Shigure got up to answer it, thinking it was Mikki, early. But no, it was Kagura. Kagura. It had slipped Shigure's mind that he had invited her to come spend a few days with them earlier that day. "Oh crap," he thought.  
  
"Kagura! How nice to see you!"  
  
"Nice to see you too Shigure-san. It's been too long. Where's Mari?" Kagura stood up on her tiptoes, trying to see over Shigure's shoulders.  
  
"Kagura," Shigure began seriously, "Mari's teacher is coming for dinner tonight to make sure that she has a normal family I guess. Please don't go throwing Kyou through of any windows. PLEASE!" Shigure was bowing in front of Kagura, who was wearing a shocked look on her face.  
  
"Su-Sure. I'll just try to keep away from him and not let him get on my nerves."  
  
"Please try!" Shigure got up. "Well, Mari's asleep right now; I really hate having to wake her up."  
  
"Let me wake her up. She'd like the surprise."  
  
Kagura walked over to where Mari was sleeping and placed her hand gently on Mari's back. "Mari. Mari. It's time to wake up." Mari frowned in her self and tried to ward off the hand on her back.  
  
"Go away. I'm sweeping."  
  
"Mari. It's me Kagura."  
  
"Ka-gur-a?" Mari rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "KAGURA!" Mari launched her arms around Kagura and started jumping up and down in her lap. "Oh! I'm so happy! Did daddy call you to tell you to come today?"  
  
"Yep. I came here to see you."  
  
"Let me show you this." Mari pulled out the orange cat from her pocket. "I nameded her Kagura so you can always be with an orange cat." She held it up to Kagura and Kagura kissed Mari's forehead and before smiling so very sincerely to the girl who named a cat after her.  
  
"I love it. Did you tell Kyou-kun already?"  
  
"Hai! He doesn't mind."  
  
The two girls sat in the room, chatting about this or that. Every once in awhile, one of them would break out laughing. From his room, Kyou heard the sudden laughter and he came down the stairs, trying to figure out what was so funny.  
  
"Mari, what's going on down--"  
  
Kyou saw Mari playing with Kagura's orange cat backpack and Kagura sitting beside her.  
  
"Ka-Kagura? What are you doing here?"  
  
"Shigure-san invited me over." She put on an emotionless face and turned back to Mari.  
  
"Kagura?" Kyou was shocked to see her act to shyly. "Kagura. Can I talk to you for a moment?"  
  
"Sure. I'll be right back Mari."  
  
"'K."  
  
Kyou stood with Kagura in the hallway before speaking to her. "Something's up. What is it?"  
  
"What do you mean? Nothing's up."  
  
"Spit it out."  
  
"Fine. Mari's teacher is coming to visit."  
  
"I know that. Shigure just told me."  
  
"Well, Shigure-san asked me to not throw you out of any windows. You get what I'm sayin'?"  
  
"Yeah. I get it. It just bothered me that you weren't attempting to put me in a headlock yet." Kyou rubbed the back of his neck. Kagura laughed and then gently kissed Kyou on the cheek.  
  
"I guess that'll have to do for now then?"  
  
"Kagura." Kyou motioned slightly with his head to a room near by them. Kagura let her eyes follow his gazed and she spotted Yuki, blushing, obviously because he had just looked over towards her.  
  
"Yuki-kun?" Kagura whispered.  
  
"Yep. I think he's. "  
  
"No. Really?"  
  
"Yeah. He got all bent out of shape when I asked him about it."  
  
Kagura felt her face blush and Kyou tapped her on the nose. "Just something to think about." He walked away to help Tohru in the kitchen.  
  
"Oh. My." Kagura placed her hand on her cheek and tried to stop blushing before walking back to Mari.  
  
Shigure had seen everything from his office and smiled to himself. The world was finally starting to piece together.  
  
Then he heard Kagura scream.  
  
~~Later that Day~~  
  
Mikki arrived about an hour and a half later. Kagura opened the door.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hello. I'm Mikki Hakuu. Mari's teacher."  
  
"Oh. Nice to meet you. I'm Kagura Sohma. One of Mari's cousins."  
  
"Another cousin? You sure have a huge family."  
  
Kagura shrugged. "Mari's very sick right now."  
  
"How terrible. So very terrible. Is she feeling any better?" Mikki's voice fell soft and her eyes started to shine.  
  
"We have Hatori-san, her doctor coming over to see her." Kagura paused before going on. "How rude of me. Come on in. Shigure-san will see you as soon as he comes down."  
  
Before Mikki and Kagura could get in, Hatori came up.  
  
"Where's Mari?"  
  
"Hatori-san. She's upstairs in her room. Shigure-san's with her."  
  
"I'll be up there." Hatori nodded to Kagura before noticing Mikki. "Hello. You must be the teacher."  
  
"Y-Yes."  
  
"I'm sorry you had to see our family in this state. I'm Hatori Sohma." He stuck his hand out for her to shake.  
  
"I'm Mikki Hakuu. Please, go help Mari." Hatori nodded before heading up the stairs.  
  
"Another cousin?"  
  
"Yeah. You can say that. But Mari calls him her uncle since he and Shigure-san grew up together."  
  
"I see."  
  
Next through the door Momiji came running in. "Where's Mari? Is she okay? Can Hatori-san help her? Tell me Kagura-kun!" A pair of rabbit ears became apparent on his blonde hair.  
  
"Shhh. She'll be fine. Hatori-san is up there right now." Kagura quieted down Momiji.  
  
"Oh. Hello! I'm Momiji Sohma! Nice to meet you!" Momiji stuck his hand out for Mikki to shake.  
  
"I'm Mikki Hakuu. Nice to meet you too." Momiji's rabbit ears disappeared.  
  
"So are you here to see Mari too? Are you Shigure-san's girlfriend or something?"  
  
Mikki felt her face blush and Kagura let out a loud sigh. "I'm Mari's teacher. Nothing more."  
  
"Oh. I see." Momiji than turned towards Kagura. "Ayame-san came."  
  
"Ayame-san? No! What's he doing here?! Didn't Hatori-san know to leave him at home?"  
  
"He tried but Ayame-san insisted he came to see Mari. You know that he loves seeing Mari!"  
  
"Yeah. But. " Kagura stopped and looked over towards Mikki and before she could say anything, Ayame came bursting through the door.  
  
"How's Mari doing, the little dear? Is Ha-chan helping her?" Ayame stood looking longing at Kagura.  
  
"Hatori-san is up there right now Ayame-san. Why don't you stay down here?"  
  
"Very well. Very well." Ayame looked over at a very scared Mikki. "How rude of me. I'm Ayame Sohma, brother of Yuki Sohma! Cousin of Shigure- kun! Uncle of Mari! Nice to meet you!"  
  
"I'm Mikki. So you're a Sohma too?"  
  
"Why yes! So you've heard of us. So why don't you come down to my shop downtown. I'm sure you'd be interested in the clothing that I sell."  
  
"Aya. Stop it please." Shigure was coming down the stairs. His eyes were already tired and his body felt heavy.  
  
"Shigure. I'm sorry. I'll stop." Ayame stepped aside to stand by Kagura and Momiji.  
  
"Mikki. I'm so sorry you had to come see our family in a crisis like this." Shigure bowed to the teacher.  
  
"Oh. Don't worry. But is Mari feeling any better?"  
  
"Her fever won't go down, she's mumbling constantly, coughing. I hate seeing her like this. Her body doesn't take illnesses well."  
  
"Does Hatori-san know what to do?" Tohru came in from the kitchen. "I'm sorry for eavesdropping." She and Yuki appeared from the doorway, both wearing very concerned looks on their faces.  
  
"Ha-chan is trying his best. So far, no luck." Shigure took a deep breathe and forced a smile-the type he wore whenever he was falling apart inside-and motioned towards Mikki. "Please. Come on in."  
  
"I couldn't. I see your family is busy and I don't want to be a bother."  
  
"No. We decided to meet tonight and tonight we will. Tohru-kun has prepared a great dinner for all of us to eat."  
  
"Well, I guess so."  
  
"Great. Please come on in. Tohru-kun would be glad to show you around."  
  
"Shigure! Mari's coughing up blood!" Kyou came running down the stairs and motioned for the man to come up stairs. "Hatori thinks we better take her to the hospital!"  
  
"Shit." Shigure ran up the stairs and in a few moments him, Kyou, and Hatori were coming down the stairs with Mari wrapped in a blanket, still coughing up blood. Hatori ran out to start the car and Kyou carried Mari out and Shigure told everyone else to stay here and he'll call in as soon as he could.  
  
And they were off. Left behind was Tohru, Yuki, Mikki, Ayame, and Momiji. No one said a word as they watched eth car drive off into the distance and as they turned to walk back into the house. Fear ran across each of their minds. Momiji cried, as did Tohru.  
  
Sitting in silence was the greatest torture that they ever endured. Waiting for an answer was just as horrible.  
  
Minutes turned into hours. Hours that never seemed to move.  
  
Then, finally, the phone rang.  
  
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I'll write more soon. You'll know everyone's fate soon. I promise. Until later ~D-Yai~ 


	11. Ray of Hope

A/N: This chapter has given me serious hell! Please read my author's note at the end so see what I mean after reading the chapter! Oh, I love "Freckles", the Rurouni Kenshin theme song but I can't stand the series. Strange.  
  
Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is not mine. No really! Like I didn't know that.  
  
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~~Ray of Hope~~  
  
Yuki got up to answer the phone. "Moshi-moshi?"  
  
"Ah. Yuki-kun? Is that you?"  
  
"Yeah. Shigure-san, what's going on?"  
  
"She's okay. They stopped the blood and her fever's starting to go down."  
  
"That's great."  
  
"Tell the others. Tell them everything's going to be fine."  
  
Shigure hung up.  
  
Yuki walked into the sitting room where he saw a group of worried eyes watching him.  
  
"She's going to be fine."  
  
A sigh of relief came from everyone. Momiji started to cry again, Tohru's eyes started to tear as well. Ayame placed his hand on his brother's shoulder and Yuki didn't flinch away. Kagura closed her eyes and started mumbling a Shinto prayer. Mikki, still unsure of her current situation, smiled.  
  
About two hours later, Kyou came through the doors of the house. His face was emotionless, yet tear stricken. He didn't even have the strength take off his jacket before collapsing onto the floor. Kagura rushed over to his side, as did Tohru. In between tears, he started to speak.  
  
"It's gotten worse in the past hour. She's stopped breathing. They put her on life-support, but we don't even know if that will save her." Kyou's tears kept on flowing. "She's only three, dammit! Why her?! If they wanted a cat so damn badly, they should have taken me! I would have gladly given up my life for her!" He punched in a nearby wall.  
  
"Kyou-kun," murmured Kagura before wrapping her arms around him. He cried into her shoulders. Tohru still sat beside Kyou, unable to embrace him, placing her hand gently on his knee. Yuki bit his lower lip and lowered his eyes in respect. No one else dared say a word. Not too long ago, they were all celebrating the fact that Mari was doing better.  
  
"A-Are Shigure-san and Hatori-san still with her?" Momiji asked.  
  
"Hai," Kyou answered. "Shigure wanted to stay by her side and Hatori is making sure no male tries to handle her. They told me to come home. Get some sleep. Pray for the best." Kyou's fists clenched tight. "I just wanted to stay there by her side." He stood up walked off, undoubting heading for the roof. The others just sat and watched him in silence.  
  
So once again they all sat in silence, waiting for an answer that may never come.  
  
Then, later, the phone rang again.  
  
Ayame picked up the phone this time and Kyou came down from the roof sand stood behind the doorway.  
  
"Moshi-moshi?"  
  
"Aya? It's Hatori."  
  
"Ah. Ha-chan."  
  
"The life-support's working. She's stronger than she looks. If everything goes fine, we'll be able to take her off of it soon."  
  
"Thank goodness."  
  
"Tell Kyou before you tell the others. He needs to know it first."  
  
"Hai."  
  
Ayame looked up to see everyone looking right at him. "Well. I've been given specific instructions from Ha-chan to tell Kyou the news first." Yuki looked at his brother with suspicious eyes. Ayame shifted his weight back and forth nervously.  
  
"I guess you wouldn't lie about something like this," Yuki finally stated as he motioned towards the doorway Kyou was standing in. Ayame walked over to the doorway, looked at Kyou then headed outside. Kyou followed.  
  
"Well? What happened?"  
  
"The life-support's working."  
  
"You better not be lying."  
  
"Why would I lie about something like this?! You heard Yuki!"  
  
"Still."  
  
"Fine. If you want to believe that Mari's dying, so be it. I believe what Ha-chan told me and I'm telling the others. For once in your life Kyou, trust."  
  
Ayame turned around and walked back into the house. Kyou watched as Ayame told the others and everyone let out a sigh of relief. Mikki stood up, thanked Tohru for dinner, said apologies for deciding that she would drop by that night, and stared to head towards the door. She stopped, turned around, and walked out to where Kyou was still standing. Kyou was surprised to see Mikki come up to talk to him; she had always been so timid towards him every other time they talked.  
  
"Um, Kyou?"  
  
"Yea?"  
  
"I was wondering if you would be so kind as to drop by Mari's classroom whenever you get the chance. I would really like to know how she's doing. " Mikki's voice started to trail off and quiver. Kyou looked at the young woman in front of him and realized that she truly has never meant any harm towards anyone. "I see that she has enough support from her family that it might not make a difference if someone from the outside hopes for her well- being, but-" She stopped, not sure of what she was trying to exactly say.  
  
"I understand." Kyou muttered. And he really did. "I'll tell Mari. She'll be glad. And, I'll try to stop by."  
  
"Arigato. So very much." Mikki lowered her eyes in respect and walked out of the house.  
  
~~The Next Day~~  
  
During class, Kyou's mind kept on drifting off. Shigure had called in the morning and said that Mari's condition was getting any better, but it wasn't getting any worse. This had given him new hope and he knew that he would try to stop by the hospital afterward. If they didn't let cousins in, he could always play the brother.  
  
SLAM  
  
Uo-chan had dropped her books on Kyou's desk.  
  
"Daydreaming again Carrothead?"  
  
"What do you want Yankee?"  
  
Up-chan looked to the floor, as if she was trying out how she would answer him. "Tohru-kun's told me about the girl, Mari."  
  
Kyou looked up at the girl and tried to read her body language. What did she want? More information on what happened? The most current news? "Yea. What do you want to know?"  
  
"She's such a sweet little thing. How come all of this happened?"  
  
"They think it's linked to her mother's death. But it could a hundred different causes."  
  
"Are you going to go see her this afternoon?"  
  
"Yeah. Why?"  
  
"Would you mind if I come along?"  
  
Kyou looked up Arisa. He never really trusted her, and at times her was just dead-on annoyed with her. But she seemed so sincere, so wanting, that Kyou couldn't turn her down.  
  
"Nah. But I gotta stop by Mari's classroom before we go."  
  
"That's fine." Before the conversation could go on, Tohru came up to them.  
  
"Kyou-kun, I know that I said that I would go see Mari with you, but I just remembered that I have work! And when I asked Sohma-sama if he would go with you, he said he had Student Committee today! Oh, Kyou-kun! I'm so sorry!!!"  
  
"Tohru-kun. Don't worry about it." Kyou tried to keep Tohru from going totally global on him. (A/N: Totally global! Who uses that nowadays? It's so funny! Hehehe.)  
  
"Tohru-kun. Don't worry. I'm goin' with him." Tohru looked up at Uo- chan, at first unbelievingly, but then burst out into smiles.  
  
"That's wonderful! I was so worried about Kyou-kun all alone. Please tell Mari I send my regards, if you could."  
  
"Sure thing." Kyou smiled at Tohru.  
  
Finally, after what seemed like hours of meaningless work to Kyou, school ended. He waited for Arisa to get ready and then the two of them headed towards the preschool. Kyou was walking towards the door when Mikki walked right out of it.  
  
"Oh, Kyou."  
  
"Hey. Shigure called this morning. He said she's not doing worse, but she's not improving. Get what I'm sayin'?"  
  
"Hai. That's for informing me."  
  
"It's no problem. Ja!"  
  
Kyou turned back around to face Arisa.  
  
"Who's the chick?"  
  
"Mari's teacher. She just wants to know how Mari's doin'."  
  
"So you've got nothin' for her then?"  
  
"Of course not! You damn Yankee."  
  
"Just askin'." But Arisa's face said more than just askin'. Kyou gritted his teeth and told himself he only had to bear her company just a little bit longer.  
  
The two walked on in silence, each thinking about their own problems. Eventually, Arisa got bored with the silence and decided she would much rather bother Kyou. But when she turned towards him, she saw his face. In those moments of silence, it had transformed from the typical smirk he usually carried on his face to a sad, solemn face, where the fear was clearly evident. She had never seen Kyou look like this. It touched her that he was so worried about Mari. And all this time, he thought the most emotion he had was when he was losing at cards.  
  
"Hey Carrothead," Arisa softly started. "Lighten up a bit. She's gonna be fine. I know it. She's strong. You've seen what she can do to the other kids. She's gonna make it. I promise." She looked over towards Kyou and saw that he was still staring straight ahead, but his lips formed a silent whisper that she knew was directed toward her.  
  
"Arigato."  
  
When they reached the hospital, the middle-aged lady at the front desk recognized Kyou right away. "Hey there kid. Back again huh?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"I can't let you in right at the moment. With the girl's current position I'm not suppose to let anyone except her immediate family in for the first 48 hours. But I think you could pass for the brother." She handed him a pass. "That girl might pose some problems." She looked hard at Arisa. "You wanna be, um, the step-sister? After today though, you don't need to worry about this. You can just come in during visitor's hours, which started about five minutes ago. I'm Yoko Ohki. If anyone gives you trouble, tell em I sent ya." The lady nodded and winked at the two. Kyou and Arisa walked towards the doors that lead towards Mari's room.  
  
At Mari's room, Shigure was sitting beside her bedside with his hand gently moving her bangs away from her face. Mari looked so much smaller than she actually was (she was already small for her age) and attached to her face was the life-support tube. On the other side of the bed was the actual life-support pump. In the corner of the room, Hatori sat, dosing off, possibly sleeping for the first time in over 24 hours. Dark circles were under Shigure's eyes and he was mumbling a song that he would always sing for Mari when she couldn't sleep.  
  
"Jari michi ni saku hana ga; Asatsu yu ni hika ateru wa; Dare ni mo kizukarezu ni; Demo sukoshi hokorashige ni; Sekai ga o-okisugite; Jibun ga chi-isasugite; Mirai ga to-osugiru to; Yu-ube naita kedo; Mune wo hate miyo- o ka; Ima ikiteru koto ni; Me no mae no hataru wo; Ito tsutoru no to- ni; Mune wo hato- wo yo-"  
  
(Translation: The flowers blooming on the gravel road; sparkle with the morning dew; No one else may notice, but; you're glowing with just a bit of pride; The world is so very big; and you are so very small; The future is so very far away; that all you can do at night is cry; So, why don't you throw out your chest?; The way you have to live your life now; is face every hurdle that's in front of you; and with your chest thrown out; clear them, one by one.) (Yes, this is "Mune wo Harou" (Be Proud!) End theme of Battle Athletes. I don't own it, but I think the lyrics fit perfectly here)  
  
"Shigure?" Kyou placed his hand on his cousin's shoulder.  
  
"Ah, Kyou-kun. How'd you get in?"  
  
"The lady in front let us in."  
  
"Us?" Shigure looked to see Arisa looking over towards Mari, biting her lower lip. "Uo-chan, if I'm not mistaken?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Shigure. Why don't you rest? You really need some sleep."  
  
"I can't, Kyou-kun. Mari's slipping in and out of comatose state. I can't leave her now."  
  
"She's what? Why didn't you tell me this before?" Kyou looked over towards Mari, whose breathing was starting going quick for a moment before going back to normal.  
  
"We didn't realize this for awhile. Ha-chan has been working straight, trying to help her. All I can do is sit here by her side."  
  
While Kyou continued to try to convince Shigure to sleep a bit since he was there, Arisa sat by the other side of Mari and started talking to her.  
  
"Hey there squirt. I haven't seen you in awhile huh? You know you've been a great help with helping Kyou staying in line. I don't gotta harass him as much as I use to. You're bringing out this side to him that I've never seen before. Hell, I don't think anyone's seen it before. But it's all good. Don't you worry. All I want you to do is get better okay? I don't know what would happen if you didn't. I think we'd all lose it. You've got so many people caring for you and supporting you that it's impossible for you to do anything but get better." Arisa dug through her bag. "Look what I got ya. I was out shopping and this just seemed to scream to me to buy for you. It's a navy blue dog. Kinda different huh? I know you love playing with these dolls." She placed it beside Mari. "Just promise me that we'll play with it together when you get better okay? I'll be waiting." She got up and kissed Mari on the forehead.  
  
Kyou and Shigure had stopped arguing to look at the toy dog Arisa had placed down. It looked exactly like Shigure did when he transformed. "Thank you Uo-chan. I'll give it to her first thing when she wakes up." Shigure took the dog and placed it on the side table.  
  
"Thank you Shigure-san, Kyou-kun, for letting me come. I'll be going now. You probably want to tell some things to Mari that isn't meant for me to hear." Arisa got up, waved good-bye, and walked through the door.  
  
"I'll never get that girl," Kyou mumbled under his breath as he helped Shigure get up and seated on the couch in the room.  
  
"She's got heart. I think that's all you need to know," Shigure answered as Kyou gave him a pillow to lean against. "I told you Kyou-kun. I don't want to sleep."  
  
Kyou handed him a tea and snack bag that he had just bought from the machine outside. "If Hatori can sleep right now, so can you. Just have these, sleep a few hours, you'll feel a million times better. I'm not planning to go anywhere, so you don't have to worry." Kyou motioned to the seat that Shigure had just been sitting in.  
  
"Fine Kyou-kun. You win this time. I'll sleep, for now." Shigure looked over one last time at Mari before turning over and started dozing off.  
  
Kyou take his seat by Mari's bedside and just watched the girl breathe. He couldn't believe that just yesterday she was running around him in the morning showing him the orange cat she got. Kyou thought and thought, but he couldn't remember seeing any signs that she was getting sick. He looked back over towards her and gently kissed her forehead.  
  
"So Mari. What have you been thinking about all this time? Are you lost in whirlpool of thoughts? Or are you just dancing along happily in a dream? Just promise me one thing girl. Don't die. Please just don't die." Kyou took Mari's small, fragile hand into his own and held it gently. "I don't think you understand what you mean to me. I'd die. Shigure would die. Neither of us are living for anyone else." Mari seemed to struggle for air for a moment. When her breathing finally went back to normal, Kyou let a tear slip down his face.  
  
"I'm gonna keep living for you if you keep on living for me."  
  
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A/N: I should call this D-Yai's incoherent babbling. I know, too much Kodocha. Hehehe. "Gloria" is the best song ever! Megumi Hayashibara is my hero! If you ever need inspiration, just listen to the song! So this is the story with this chapter. First I set my butt down and wrote this chapter. When I finished, I finally went to sleep, thinking I'd post the chapter the next afternoon. But that night I had a dream. See, the first draft of this chapter was about Kyou going to see Mari all on his own and this whole personal reflection thing. I was pretty proud of it. But then I dreamed of add Arisa in it. Really strange, but I liked it a bazillion times better cuz I added a bit of joy into the story since it's been so dramatic lately. So I deleted the first version and wasted a good amount of my life rewriting the story. I thought that you all wouldn't mind waiting just one more day for an update, so I put it off again. Then, as I was rereading it, I realized that there was no way that Mari could be up and talking after being in life support for just a day or two. I couldn't believe I was so stupid to over look this huge detail. I basically strangled myself with my mouse cord and starting banging my head against the wall. After that little incident, I had to sit down again, alone in my room with random Japanese songs playing in the background to rewrite the chapter, alas, once again, making it a bit more accurate. Never mind the fact that I had places to go, people to see, a life to live, a Harry Potter book to finish (yes, I am a Harry Potter nerd and proud of it!), phone calls to answer, and stupid movies to watch and write about for AP Euro History and AP Art History. So I finally finished this chapter and posted it for all eyes to enjoy. Thank you for putting up with this story and me. Oh, and if you listen to "Tank!" while you write and take a bazillion dance classes (raises hand), it's impossible to fight the urge to get up and dance and do the splits and kicks and stuff. Believe me. I've tried to resist and failed. Until the next time I drone on, D-Yai. 


	12. We Didn't Start the Fire

A/N: I love the song "We Didn't Start the Fire"! My friends did a dance to this song and I can't stop listening to it! That's why it's the chapter's name. I don't own it. Hehehe. Oh, I wrote this chapter listening to the "Harlem" CD by Sarah Brightman. It is really soothing to listen to while studying or writing or drawing. Err, if you're a DBZ fan, I just started posting "The Story of Tige, the Last True Sayajin", so I would love it if you wandered over there and checked it out! Enough delay, here's the next chapter! Enjoy! And thanks for the reviews!  
  
Disclaimer: Alas, Fruits Basket is still owned by another soul.  
  
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~~We Didn't Start the Fire~~  
  
And Kyou just sat there, for hours. He watched Mari breathe and on the occasion seem to mumble something. He focused on her, not knowing how much time had passed or if people walked in and out of the room. Then, when Shigure finally woke up, Kyou jumped to feel his hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Kyou-kun. I think you'd better head home."  
  
Kyou looked up to see that it was 9:30. He hadn't even touched any of the homework that he had gotten that day. Kyou looked over again at Mari and stroked the hair away from her face. He knew that it would be pointless to try to argue against Shigure.  
  
"Fine. I'll leave now. But I'll be back tomorrow."  
  
"I would be surprised if you didn't." There was a smile in Shigure's voice, something that no one had heard for days. "Bring Yuki and Tohru if you could. Mari would love to see them too."  
  
Kyou smiled. "Sure." Just as Kyou was about to head towards the door, a doctor came through the door.  
  
"Sohma-san?" she asked.  
  
"Yes?" It had seemed that Hatori had awaken as well, so the three answered. The doctor seemed so confused.  
  
"You're all Sohma's? But could I speak to the father?"  
  
"Oh. Of course. Sorry about that." Shigure got up and stepped out to talk to the doctor. Kyou and Hatori waited to see what was going on. Actually, Hatori got up and put on his jacket and cleaned up the space he was sitting in.  
  
"You're going back to Shigure's right?" Hatori asked Kyou.  
  
"Hai. Why?"  
  
"It's closer to the hospital than the main house. I was going to go there for the night to just clean up before coming back in the morning."  
  
"Oh. I see."  
  
Shigure came back into the room, frowning. "That stupid doctor. Expecting me to leave at a time like this. 'It's for your health' my ass." Shigure looked up to see Kyou and Hatori staring at him confused. "That doctor thought that she could make me leave. Like she really thought I would leave now." Shigure sat down stubbornly and crossed his arms.  
  
"Shigure. You know that the doctor is right. I'm going home for the night." Hatori tried to convince his friend as well to go home for the night. "You need the rest. It'll make you feel better."  
  
"No."  
  
"But Shig-"  
  
"No."  
  
"It would help a whol-"  
  
"No."  
  
"Fine. I give up. Stay here. I'll be back in the morning. But on one condition."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Tomorrow afternoon you have to go out. Eat some real food, breathe fresh air."  
  
"Fine. I'll do that."  
  
"Very well than. Come on Kyou. It's getting late." Hatori nodded at Shigure and turned around and left with Kyou.  
  
When the room was silent, Shigure turned back at his little girl. "I know they're trying to help," he started to say. "But I just can't leave for that long. It would hurt me more than staying here and watching you waste away." Mari just kept on breathing, softly, barely. "How I wish I could hear your sweet little voice again Mari. Promise me that you'll get better. That you'll run around everywhere." Shigure put his head down on Mari's bed and started to cry, once again.  
  
~~Next Day~~  
  
Kyou walked past the front desk again, and sure enough, the same lady, Yoko Ohki was sitting there. "Don't you have anything else to do beside sit here all day?"  
  
Yoko shrugged. "These are my hours. You got a problem with it kid?" She smiled at Kyou.  
  
"Nah. You're fine."  
  
"More friends with ya today?'  
  
"Yep." He pointed towards Tohru and Yuki who waved back at Yoko.  
  
"I think it's great you connect so well with that girl. Go on. Tell the sweetie that I said hi."  
  
"Okay. Arigato!" Kyou nodded to Yoko who gave a half wave, you know, the ones that kinda look like you're slicing the air, before smiling.  
  
While the three were walking down the hall, Tohru asked Kyou, "Do you know Ohki-san from before?"  
  
"She's been at the desk everyday since we brought Mari in."  
  
"She's so nice." Tohru looked at some patients who were lying on hospital bed nearby and shuddered at bit. Kyou put his arms around her shoulders and walked at bit faster, knowing that hospitals make Tohru uncomfortable.  
  
When the three finally entered Mari's room, Hatori was already trying to get Shigure to stand up and head towards the door.  
  
"Shigure. Get up!"  
  
"NO!!!!! Ha-chan!!!!" Shigure was holding on to the edge of the table in the room. Kyou sighed and walked over to help Hatori pry Shigure's hand off the table. Then, somehow, Hatori was pulling Shigure out of the door.  
  
"We'll be back in a few hours."  
  
"A few hours? I thought you said only an hour! Ha-chan! You're so cruel!" Then the two were off.  
  
"What was that about?" Yuki asked Kyou as Tohru went to sit by Mari's bedside.  
  
"Hatori decided that Shigure needed some fresh air since he's been inside all the time. Shigure isn't very happy about it." Kyou sat on the couch and looked on at Mari. Yuki stood by other side of her bed.  
  
"Mari-chan. How are you doing?" Tohru tenderly touched Mari's face. "The house has been way to quiet without. I miss you helping me with meals. Oh, that's so selfish of me. All I want you to do is get better. Really. That's all I want." She started to cry. "You've always been stronger than Tohru-kun. You're so brave for being so very small. Just get better Mari- chan. Kyou-kun, Shigure-kun, Sohma-sama, and Tohru-kun all just want to see you well." She took the small girl's hand and kissed it.  
  
Yuki just looked on the girl, as if he was afraid of saying anything to her. He just looked at the girl, with thoughts running through his head. Then he began to speak, almost in a whisper.  
  
"Mari. We all want you to come back. To come up with your crazy ideas. To make Shigure-kun laugh again. To give Kyou his second chance. You brought us all back together. You made us whole again, whether you knew it or not." Yuki felt a tear escape from his eye. He didn't even bother trying to brush it away. "I know I didn't spend enough time with you as I should have. When you're better, I'll make up for it. I promise." He lightly brushed a piece of stray hair away from Mari's cheek before quickly retracting his hand.  
  
"Why are you so afraid of her Yuki?" Kyou questioned Yuki, after noticing how quickly he had pulled his hand away.  
  
"I don't know how to act around her. When I think of having a relationship with someone so young, all I can base it on is my relationship with Ayame." Yuki looked at Mari before closing his eyes. "He wasn't there for me. He says he realized his mistake now and wants to make up for it, but I don't know if I could believe him now. I don't want to let her down. What if I hurt her?"  
  
"But you promised to make it up to her, didn't you?"  
  
"Hai. But it will very hard for me to keep. I can't understand her the way that you do and that scares me."  
  
"She adores you, you know that. She just is worried about be rejected as well. She's told me-" Kyou paused for a moment before going on, as if he was deciding whether or to say what he was going to say. "She's told me that she thinks that the family really doesn't like her. That they feel sorry for her because her mother's dead and Shigure is always in a better mood when he's with her. She thinks you're all faking."  
  
"But we're not! You know that! We don't look down at her just because she happened to be born that cat!" Yuki was now standing right in front of Kyou, who was crossing his arms in front of himself.  
  
"I know that. But she doesn't understand that yet."  
  
"I just hope it's got nothing to do with me." Yuki sat down beside Kyou on the couch. "Or the next rat. I don't want to punish her that way that, that. "  
  
"You're punishing me." Kyou finished.  
  
Yuki looked over at Kyou, with his eyes glossing. He placed his head in his hands before he started crying.  
  
Tohru, still watching from her spot, looked over at Kyou, as if to say 'do something to help him. You know I can't'. Kyou just watched Yuki cry; his whole body shaking, his hands trembling.  
  
Kyou bit his lip, knowing that what Yuki had just realized hit him hard. Yuki had known this all along, but never really realized it. Kyou slowly put his arm around his cousin before allowing him to cry on his shoulder.  
  
It was a sight like no other; one that had never been seen before in the Sohma family. A cat, the outsider, embracing the rat, the main tormentor, in a time of need.  
  
And so they stayed like that. Kyou holding close Yuki, who was still crying. Soon, Kyou himself began to cry and their tears mixed, giving birth to a new time when the two would understand each other, support the other, and become one.  
  
As she sat watching, smiling a sad smile, Tohru whispered to Mari, "Look. It's all because of you. You're helping heal this broken family filled with rules and traditions that no one likes. You, so small, so brave, so honest, are changing everyone."  
  
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A/N: I know. So short! But I wanted to update and I really liked how this chapter ended with Yuki and Kyou understanding each other, so I just let it end here. Well, school is coming up soon and I haven't finished my summer homework and I'm searching for a new dance studio to join and I'm trying to enjoy that last days of summer, but I will keep on trying to update! I promise you that! Keep on reading. I really don't know what's going to happen in this story-this is the one story I'm really working on and have nothing planned out for-so if you want to see something, feel free to leave it in your review! Well, I gotta go finish reading my "How to Draw Manga" book (volume 8-Super Basics), so until later! Hey, don't laugh!!! It's really helping me! WAAA!!! Until I write more! D-Yai! 


	13. Playing With Time

A/N: Before writing this, I had just watched a bit of Fruits Basket with my friends. It was filled with the evil witch Tohru being evil and stupid. So, since I write the author's notes after writing the chapter, I just realized that I totally strangled Tohru with some of my words. I apologize to any Tohru fans that I may offend. I just had to say that. But thanks to those you who are sticking to this little story of mine! (snob) I love you all so much! So here's the next chapter!  
  
Disclaimer: I really like bananas. That has nothing to do with Fruits Basket. I still don't own it.  
  
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~~Playing with Time~~  
  
When Kyou and Yuki finally broke apart, both of them were blushing; possibly from crying, but possibly from holding each other. Tohru just watched them, stupidly, not really noticing anything that was going on. She sat there, still holding Mari's small hand.  
  
The room stayed silent for quite a bit longer. No one really knew what to say. Kyou got up and Tohru gave her seat by Mari to him. He sat there, just watching Mari sleep again. He thought of the times before Mari had come to live with them. When Shigure was putting on his fake act. When Shigure's visits to Mari and her mother were secret and how Shigure would always cry after the visits. Kyou winced at the memory. He hated watching his cousin cry. Shigure was a grown man! He shouldn't cry. But he still did. He would break down and fall to pieces.  
  
Kyou knew that if Mari died, he would do the same. Break down and fall to pieces. Now that Mari was so involved in his life, life without her would be so hard. And there would be no more cats for another generation. Who would help Kyou with the isolation? Who would he teach about being cat? What if it all ended now? What if?  
  
Kyou gritted his teeth and tried to change his train of thoughts. He looked back at Mari who seemed to be fidgeting again. She was breathing fast again and her face started to scrunch. For a hopeful moment, Kyou hoped that Mari was waking up, but he knew that it was highly unlikely. Mari's breathing went back to normal and she went back into her dream-like state. Still hanging between a comatose state and sleeping, Mari's mind was a mess. She was lost, running around and getting nowhere. Her mind was like a movie, playing over and over the past, present, and future.  
  
~~Mari's Current Memory: Start~~  
  
Mari was walking down the hallway at the main house holding Shigure's hand.  
  
"Answer the questions he asks, no questions asked okay? Stay seated and pay your respects. Listen to what he has to say and it'll be fine."  
  
"'K. I'll do that daddy."  
  
Mari was going to see Akito. It was just after she moved in with her father. Shigure was worried about what Akito would say to her, but he knew that he couldn't do anything to prevent it. When they reached the door, Hatori greeted them.  
  
"Uncle Hatori!"  
  
"Mari. You're getting big aren't you?"  
  
"Oh yea. I forgoted." Mari bowed to Hatori, just like her mother had taught her to do.  
  
"Mari," Shigure said with slight amusement in his voice. "You don't have to do that for family now. You haven't seen everyone for a while. You can let the bowing slip every now and then." He winked at Mari.  
  
"I guess so. If you said it's okay." She then reached up to her uncle who picked her up.  
  
"Don't you look nice today? And you're early too."  
  
"Arigato! I missed you Uncle Hatori!" She hugged him. Mari was wearing denim skirt jumper and a white shirt with her hair held back with a matching headband. She brushed the bangs away from her face and tried to sneak a look at the room behind Hatori. Hatori placed her down, and looked at Shigure, as if to warn him about what was going to happen once Mari entered the room.  
  
Shigure knelled down beside Mari and straighten out her shirt. "You just do everything I told you baby. It'll all be fine."  
  
"'K daddy. I'll be good." She leaned over and kissed her father on his cheek. Then Mari turned towards the door behind Hatori. He opened it, walked in behind Mari, and nodded at Shigure.  
  
Inside, Mari stopped in front of Akito.  
  
"Akito. Mari, daughter of Shigure, is here, as you requested." Hatori placed him hands on her shoulders.  
  
"Ah. I see. Very well. I'll call for you when we're through Hatori." Akito flicked his hand as if to try to shoo Hatori away.  
  
"Very well." Hatori stepped out, only after squeezing Mari's shoulders, as if to say that he'd be there with her in spirit.  
  
"Sit."  
  
"Yes sir." Mari sat with her legs folded under her in front of Akito. He gazed at the girl, who had lowered her head in respect. He adjusted the robes that were falling off his shoulders before sitting in front of the girl.  
  
"How old are you now?"  
  
"Phree."  
  
"And what are you cursed as?"  
  
"A cat sir."  
  
"You must get along very well with Kyou then."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Think of that. A dog fathering a cat." Akito threw his head back, laughing. "You've put you're father through so much pain, do you now that? He's always depressed. Why do you like to hurt your father like this?"  
  
"I don't! I don't mean to, at least. My okaa-san never let me see otou- san."  
  
"What didn't you run away?"  
  
"I. I. I don't know."  
  
"Don't you want to part of this family?"  
  
"Yes. I love this family so much."  
  
"You stupid girl. You're a damn cat. Everyone hates you. They only pretend to like you. Get that through your small head."  
  
Silence  
  
Akito put on an evil smile, the smile showing he had full control over his prey. "You never thought of that did you? Thought everyone liked you huh?"  
  
Mari nodded.  
  
"Just look at that Kyou. Your father," Akito jeered, "is the only beside his precious 'master' that would take him in. Your father is weak. Messing with cats. He's a disgrace to the Sohma name."  
  
Silence  
  
"Much like you cats are." Akito put his hand under Mari's chin so he could look into her eyes. He didn't care that he was already dealing with an already weakened, fragile, frightened mind of a toddler. He just wanted her to suffer. To cry out in pain. To wish she never lived. To wish she died right there with her mother.  
  
Teardrop  
  
"Crying? Afraid are you? You should be. I guess you're smarter than you look." He let go of the girl. "I hate cats, you know that? The creatures just sit there, lazy, caring only about themselves."  
  
Mari bit her lip, thinking about what her father had said to her about listening to Akito and not getting upset. So she sat there, taking everything in, slowly, painfully.  
  
"I hate you girl! You, the next generation! Proof that we don't know how to lift the curse! Living proof of the ancient tell of the zodiac! Living ghosts, forced to live the life of those before us! To carry a burden like no other, to cause us to go insane, to die alone, never loved. I HATE YOU!!!" Akito slapped Mari across the face, sending her down. Mari touched the new red spot on her face and felt it burn. She would not cry. Would not let Akito win.  
  
Akito started to whisper. "So you think you're strong? Standing up to me? Well, you're not! You're weak, helpless, and pointless. You have no right to live." He kicked her before picking her up by the shoulders. "So small. So fragile. So alone." He shook her and shook her. "No one cares about you. They don't care if you live or die." He stopped shaking her, only to throw her down.  
  
Mari was now trembling all over, breathing quicker. She saw Akito start walking over towards her. She could no longer hide her fear; it shone through her eyes. She didn't want to fight anymore. She was scared of Akito. Afraid he would hurt. She wouldn't sit still anymore. She got up and tried to head for the door, only to find Akito pulling her back by her hair.  
  
"You can't leave. Not just yet. I haven't given you permission."  
  
Mari let out a scream of pain. She wanted out. She wanted to crawl into her father's arms and never have him let go. Just then, Shigure and Hatori opened the door, to find that Akito was now trying to choke the girl.  
  
"You bastard! Let go of her!" Shigure ran over and tried to force Akito to let go of his grip around his daughter's neck. Hatori was trying to pull Akito back. Finally, Shigure was able to get Akito to let go and Hatori was holding Akito away from the other two.  
  
"Don't you forget girl. I'm always watching. I know everything that goes on. I'm always watching. Always watching. I'll give you pain like you never knew before!" He threw his head back to laugh before breaking free of Hatori and walking into another room and slamming the door behind him.  
  
"Daddy. I trieded to be strong. I did." Mari was now crying into her father's shoulder, who was hugging her tightly pack in return, crying himself.  
  
"I knew I shouldn't have let you come, but there was no way to refuse. No way at all. I'm so sorry I had to put you through all of this. I'm sorry you had to listen to him trying to hurt you. I'm a horrible father. I'm so sorry."  
  
"It's not your fault daddy." Mari kissed her father before letting go of the hug.  
  
"Mari." Shigure looked at his daughter. "I want you to remember something. Promise me you'll remember?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"You'll always be my lucky cat Mari. You remember that when people try to hurt you. Remember that you're always your father's luckiest cat."  
  
~~Mari's Current Memory: End~~  
  
Mari flinched in her sleep, still lost and confused. She knew that she wanted to get up, to see everyone, but not yet. Her mind wasn't ready to face the world yet. She wasn't ready to go on with her life. So her mind made her sleep. To stay lost. To stay confused. For no one knows how long.  
  
Kyou was still sitting beside Mari, watching her sleep. Tohru was on her other side, trying to fight back the tears that were forming in her eyes. Yuki stayed on the couch. He still didn't know how he should do, how he should act around the small girl. He rung his hands and just watched. So the three sat there, for hours, in silence, watching Mari, hoping that she'd suddenly decide to get up and start running around the room.  
  
Shigure and Hatori came back into the room. Hatori looked tired, as if he was running around after Shigure the whole time. Shigure hurried over to Mari's bedside and brushed the hair away from her face.  
  
"So Hatori how was the walk outside?" Tohru asked him.  
  
"Horrible. Shigure was horrible." Hatori shot an evil, deadly look at Shigure. "He's lucky I haven't strangled him yet."  
  
"Ah, Ha-chan's just joking. It was nice to get out. I don't know why you just can't enjoy yourself."  
  
"You tried to sneak back into the hospital the entire time."  
  
"You can't blame me for trying."  
  
"I give up. I really do." Hatori sat down with a cup of coffee in his hands and sat in silence, sipping it quietly.  
  
"So, how is she?" Shigure had taken Kyou's spot by Mari.  
  
"She's fine. Nothing happened. You didn't miss anything." Kyou smiled at his cousin.  
  
"Oh. That's good, I guess." Shigure smiled.  
  
"We'd better get going." Kyou stood up and gathered his stuff. Tohru and Yuki said good-bye to Mari and the others before heading out. Kyou nodded at them, before closing the door behind him.  
  
"So what do you think Ha-chan?"  
  
"Of what?"  
  
"Our future."  
  
"Our future?"  
  
"Our future that just walked out the door."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Do you think they'll help the others learn to understand and not to hate?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"We couldn't. We failed."  
  
"True."  
  
"They'll be able to do it. They have to. It's flowing through their veins."  
  
"So it's them then?"  
  
"Yeah. They'll be able to do it. I know it." Shigure looked over at Mari. "They'll do it. They'll help clear up this messed up family. You'll help too won't you baby?" He gently stroked Mari's cheek before kissing it.  
  
"Don't worry about anything right now. Just get better. That's all you need to do."  
  
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A/N: So here you go. I wrote this despite my pain. I'm in pain-my bad knee is acting up again after dancing on it badly and my stomach is aching. So I hope you're happy! Okay, I'm grumpy. Err. School is going to start soon and I haven't finished my movies. But I'm going to Disneyland soon! Yeah! Oh, I listened to KIIS FM while writing this chapter. Hehehe. That is, until I went out and bought the Evanescence CD "Fallen". It's so good! I can't stop listening to it. I think everyone should go out and buy it. "Bring Me to Life" makes me want to cry sometimes. The lyrics are so great! And I have a sudden urge to choreograph a dance to it, kinda like they did at our dance recital. Well, I'm off to watch "Sixteen Candles", which is not on my movie list. Oh well. ~D-Yai~ 


	14. Don't Let Hope Escape

A/N: Sorry about the huge wait, but school's started and it's been hell. One of my AP classes ended up getting canceled, so now I'm some crappy wannabe beginning art class with people who hate art. But at least I get to draw during school hours and not get in trouble! Then my schedule got turned upside down. You know how this goes. I'm already running around like crazy for the Cartooning Club and meeting up with some friends I hadn't seem all summer. I'm pulling my hair out since I should be do research right now and I am going to! So I apologize now if updates don't come often-not like I was great about updating anyway. Wish me luck this year and I wish you all luck!  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned Fruits Basket, I would demand them to make me huge life-size cutouts of Shigure, Kyou, and Ayame, and maybe even Hatori. But I don't own it. So no life-size cutouts. Not fair.  
  
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~~Don't Let Hope Escape~~  
  
So many weeks had passed and still Mari never opened her eyes. Shigure still sat by her side and Kyou still came everyday to stay with her. The others came to see her, talk to her. Uo-chan came by after school all the time, along with Kagura. Mikki Hakuu even came by once. Hiro and Kisa also got to see Mari for the first time in two years.  
  
Kisa talked to the young girl about not letting what people say about you get in your way of trying to succeed, a lesson she had to learn the hard way. Hiro, on the other hand, talked about, well anything expect Mari's current state at the hospital or school. Kisa kept on holding Mari's small hand, as if to try to support her.  
  
Momiji and Hatsuharu came by a few times as well. Momiji did most of the talking, while Haru just sat by her side and watched her breathe. One time Ayame came with them, only to get kicked out for harassing some of the hospital patients. So from then on, he was only allowed in for short periods of times.  
  
Tohru would sometimes stop by after her work and just talk to Mari about how much she missed her help in the kitchen and how she was looking foreword to go on walks with her again. Yuki still came by, but only to still sit on the couch and never really get close to Mari.  
  
Hatori stayed with Mari. He knew that he had to. Something about her never let him leave for long periods of time. Maybe it had to do with the fact that it was living proof of Shigure's failed marriage; one he could have had if Akito didn't broke it apart. Or maybe it had to do with Mari's simple innocence and unknowingness of her position in the family.  
  
Kyou would spend his days there, just sitting Mari's side, or helping Shigure out one way or another. He felt as if he owed Shigure a lot since he had taken him in and let him stay with Mari all of the time. Kyou would sometimes stay at the front desk of the hospital and talk to Yoko Ohki, who would just let Kyou sit behind the desk to get away from all the stress he was feeling while sitting in Mari's hospital room.  
  
Shigure stayed in Mari's hospital room most of the time, only getting out a few times whenever Hatori or Kyou forced him to get out. His editor Mii (is that her name? I can never remember it. Please tell me if it's not! I'll fix it!) had given up on trying to get manuscripts from him and would sometimes come and just see Mari. Shigure had grown thin and weak and wasn't ever getting enough sleep. He knew that if Mari died, he wouldn't have the spirit to live on and just die right there beside her.  
  
One incident that did life everyone's mood temporally was when Mari turned into a cat one afternoon. Kyou was just reading his book when he heard the famous POOF and saw a white cloud where Mari had been sleeping. When the smoke cleared , he saw a small orange kitten with the life-support mask attached to it's face where Mari had been.  
  
"Oh, shit," Kyou plainly stated and at that moment Shigure came into the room with Hatori.  
  
"What seems to be the matter Kyou-kun?" Shigure asked Kyou after he saw him just staring with his mouth open. Shigure followed Kyou's eyes to see Mari in her animal form. "AHHHH!!! Shit!"  
  
Hatori looked over Shigure's shoulder and pressed his lips into a fine line. "This isn't good."  
  
"Well, no really! Of course this isn't good Ha-chan! The doctor is coming in twenty-five minutes to check Mari!" Shigure was now curled up into a little ball, crying.  
  
"If we don't panic, everything will work out," Hatori plainly stated as he was checking over Mari's chart's information.  
  
"I haven't seen her in her cat form before."  
  
Shigure and Hatori looked up at Kyou who was now gently petting Mari.  
  
"What did you expect Kyou-kun?! A donkey?!" Shigure whacked Kyou on the side of the head.  
  
"What was that for?!"  
  
"She's cat just like you! Of course she would turn into a small orange kitten!"  
  
"Would you two please just shut up!" Hatori slammed his clipboard against the bed. "People will be running her to see what the commotion is if you keep this up!" Kyou and Shigure both clamped their mouths shut and looked straight at Hatori. "If the tension in this room does not come down, Mari will stay in her form longer." Shigure and Kyou both put their heads down and sat in silence.  
  
"Ah, Kyou. You said this was the first time you've seen her transform?"  
  
"Yeah. Why does it matter?"  
  
"That means she hasn't transformed for a few months?" Hatori's voice was starting to shake.  
  
"Hai."  
  
"Oh crap."  
  
"What do you mean 'oh crap'?!"  
  
"Don't you remember what I told you when you were little Kyou about transforming often?"  
  
Kyou scrunched his eyebrows together and put a frown on his face. "No."  
  
"Think boy, think!" Shigure had apparently caught on to what Hatori was saying and was now shaking Kyou back and forth. "Think! Think back to when you came back from the long training with your master!"  
  
Kyou still didn't get it. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"How if the longer you go without transforming, the longer it can take you to transform back?!"  
  
"Oh yeah. I remember now."  
  
Shigure threw his hands up, as if to surrender. "I give up on this kid. He won't ever amount to anything!"  
  
"Don't talk about me like that! Hell, I'm still in the room! At least have the manners to talk crap about me when I'm not present!" Kyou was now lunging for Shigure, but Hatori was holding him back with an "I give up" look on his face. Shigure wasn't helping; he was too busy making faces at Kyou.  
  
"You know, neither of you are helping this situation." No one listened. Hatori shut his mouth and just sat on the couch.  
  
Fifteen minutes passed. Kyou and Hatori just kept on getting on the other's nerves. Hatori just watched them go back and forth.  
  
Five minutes later, Hatori noticed that there was another POOF and say Mari lying on the bed. He saw that Shigure and Kyou were still going at it, so he got up himself and dressed Mari and fixed her so it looked as if she hadn't moved at all. When the doctor came through the door, Shigure and Kyou stopped in their tracks, not realizing that Mari had transformed back. The doctor checked over Mari and smiled. "She's okay. Nothing unusual going on." Then she turned and left.  
  
Shigure ran over to Hatori and put his arms around him. "Thank you Ha- chan! You saved us! You're my hero!"  
  
"Yeah Hatori. Arigato."  
  
"It was nothing. Just don't fight anymore."  
  
"We promise! Don't we Kyou-kun?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
A few hours later, the doctor came in and motioned for Shigure to come out side the room with her.  
  
"Sohma-san, I-"  
  
"Please, Shigure."  
  
"Shigure. I have some news to tell you about the current condition of your daughter."  
  
"You said she was okay and that nothing unusual was going on."  
  
"That's true."  
  
"So then what's the problem?"  
  
"Her condition barely moves. And when it does, it goes down."  
  
"She's so small. Her body isn't used to taking on such an illness. Her immune system is just weak."  
  
"We know. And we've done everything we can to try to help her. But nothing is working."  
  
"What are you getting at?"  
  
"If her conditions don't improve in a few weeks, they're be no point of keeping her on life-support."  
  
"Just like that? You're going to let her die?"  
  
"We're not giving up on her now. It's just that her body is too young and fragile to really do much more."  
  
"She's the only reason I'm living right now. Do you know that? If she dies, I die. You'll be the cause of two deaths."  
  
"You make it sound like we want to kill her."  
  
"Don't you? The faster you get rid of her that faster you can get a patient you think you can save."  
  
"Shigure! I'm trying to help your daughter! I want to see her life as much as you do, as much her family. I won't give up until the very end."  
  
Shigure sat on the bench by the door and buried his face in his hands. The doctor just stood beside him.  
  
"I know what you're feeling right now Shigure. I lost my own daughter when she was five. They couldn't save her. Her lungs refused to take in the oxygen they were giving her." The doctor sat down beside Shigure. "I thought that they wanted to wanted her die, just so they could stop worrying about her. But they really tried to save her." She put her hand on Shigure's knee. "I'm going to do everything I can to try to save her. I can promise you that." And then she got up and left.  
  
Shigure got up and walked back into the room. He sat beside Mari's bedside before crying.  
  
"Please Mari. Please baby. Come back to us. Don't make me try to go on without you."  
  
~~Later that Week~~  
  
It was mid-morning and Shigure was sitting beside Mari, reading the paper. Hatori was on the couch, filling out paperwork. Through the open window in the room, a slight breeze came through, lifting everyone's spirits. Still playing in Shigure's mind was words that the doctor had said earlier about taking Mari off life-support. He still hadn't told anyone about it. "There's still hope," Shigure thought. "No need to get everyone worried for no reason." He looked over at his daughter, who was still sleeping. He brushed her hair away from her shoulder onto the pillow and gently kissed her forehead. He let his finger draw across her cheek and stop by the bottom of the mask. He frowned at it, tapping it once before going back to his reading. He hated the mask; it made her seem so much weaker than she really was, but he knew it was saving her, it was giving her a bit of hope.  
  
In Mari's mind, she was losing the battle.  
  
"Give up. There's no point of trying to go on," one voice kept on muttering, laughing. "No one cares about you and all you cause is pain."  
  
"No! You're wrong!" A seemingly lost version of her was floating in darkness, trying to find the voice. "They care about me and not everything is my fault!"  
  
"You're the one who's wrong. They really don't care about you. The only reason they come to see you is to pay respect. They're already planning your funeral." Laughter.  
  
"Iie." She was getting scared. What if the voice was right? "Iie. Iie." But now she didn't even believe what she was saying. The voice seemed to notice.  
  
"Just let yourself fall into internal sleep. It's better for you. It's better for everyone." A light seemed to appear, beckoning her to come towards it.  
  
And she did.  
  
On the outside, Mari's numbers were slowly dropping. Slowly enough that no alarm was caused. But still falling, her breathing slowing down.  
  
She was closer to the light, but she stopped. She was crying. "If this is what is right, why does it hurt so much?" She whispered. Still, she started to go on again.  
  
Now there were memories. Memories came flooding back again. Swimming around her were images, images of everyone she loved, everyone she hated. Her mother, her father, her family. She reached out towards them, only to find her hand seep right through.  
  
"You're not part of that world anymore," the voice stated. "You're no longer part of them."  
  
"But I want to be! I don't want to leave yet!" She started crying again. She started running the other way, away from death.  
  
But it kept following her.  
  
Then Mari tripped and hurled towards the floor.  
  
Death was now upon her.  
  
Trapped, with no way out, she screamed.  
  
Screamed as her body slowly started dissolving into the black.  
  
Screamed as the light blinded her.  
  
Screamed since she had no way to escape.  
  
~~Afterwards~~  
  
Shigure suddenly felt a shiver sent up his spine. He looked up from his reading over at Mari. He checked her machine; everything seemed to be normal. Shigure watched Mari breathing for a while; just to make sure that everything was fine. He looked over at Hatori, who wore a questioning look on his face.  
  
"What's wrong Shigure?"  
  
"Nothing. Nothing. I just felt a like someone ran ice down my back. Call me crazy."  
  
"You checked Mari's machines."  
  
"I did."  
  
"You don't have to worry. If anything happens, it'll notify us right away."  
  
"I know. It's just-" Shigure paused. "I'm so worried for her. I just want everything to work out for the both of us."  
  
"I know Shigure. I know."  
  
Hatori smiled at Shigure, who smiled back weakly. Hatori got up to delver his paper work.  
  
Just moments after Hatori left and Shigure got lost in his own thoughts, it happened.  
  
Mari's eyes opened.  
  
She blinked, trying to focus, only to be greeted by a white room.  
  
Suddenly, she was frightened.  
  
"Did I die?" She searched her thoughts. "Hospital? Blood? Blackness?" Her eyes were starting to adjust. A table formed in the corner of the room. She felt the mask placed on her face. Weakly she smiled to herself. "I'm fine. I'm not gone." Then, with all of the energy left in her, she turned her head to the side, to she her father reading the paper, with his hair falling in front of his eyes and a slight smile of amusement on his face. "He stayed with me. Just like he promised." Small tears started forming in her eyes. She had no energy to lift up her hand to wipe them away, so she just let them fall. Her miniature crystal like tears made a noise that no one could hear.  
  
A noise that no one could hear unless they were listening for it.  
  
Shigure lowered his hand from his chin, with a slight confused look on his face. He ran his tongue over his lips before shaking his head and going back to his reading. He couldn't concentrate. He looked ahead, his eyebrows scrunched together. He shook his head again. He lowered his eyes to go back to reading, but stopped midway. He shifted his gaze gradually to face her, only to find to his surprise her deep blue eyes staring right back at him.  
  
"Mari?" he whispered.  
  
She smiled for her father and did her best to find her voice. "Dad~dy." She wanted to lift herself up to see him better, but she couldn't muster the strength to do it.  
  
"Don't push yourself baby." Shigure wiped some of her tears from her face before letting his own fall. "All that matters now is that you're wake." He kissed her on the forehead. "I bet you're confused about what happened huh?"  
  
Mari's head nodded slightly.  
  
"You've been asleep for weeks baby. We were worried you might decide to never get up. The next time you feel sick, tell me okay? You don't have to keep all inside and this doesn't have to happen again." His voice was quivering and his hand was slightly trembling as he touched her cheek. "I love you much, you know that? I don't know what I would have done if you were gone."  
  
"Me. Too." Mari's mask didn't let her talk easily and she knew better than try to pull it off. She tried to lift her hand towards her father, but he stopped it.  
  
"You rest. You need to get your strength back." He smiled, truly smiled for his daughter. He looked into her eyes and saw what she wanted. He lifted her gently and held her against him.  
  
For the first time in weeks, Mari felt safe. Nothing could reach her now. She felt her father's strength holding her safe and protecting her, yet felt the gentleness of his heart at the same time. She felt the tears sliding down her face. She was suppose to live. She was suppose to go on and stay with her father forever.  
  
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A/N: Mari finally woke up. I don't think you understand how happy I am right now. I even cried while I wrote this. I wasn't sure I was ever going to have her wake up. Scary huh? Oh, before I forget, I want to thank Spoon (you know who you are), my pal who knows not much about anime (well, expect for Excel Saga, Cowboy Bebop, and Dragon Half and a few other random titles we made her watch with us) for helping me write some of the parts where Mari was waking up. She has such a way with words and helped me put what I wanted to happen in a way that you could understand. Thanks a million Spoon! Good luck on your story! You all better read her story, an original fic, when she posts it. Don't worry, I'll tell you when so you all must read it! MUHAHAHA!!! I kinda know where I want this story to go, and I hope it all works out fine! I really want to play with the idea of Yuki/Kagura a bit just cuz it would add some flavor and humor. What do you guys think? Ohhh! I can't wait to write about Kyou seeing Mari now that she's awake! I'll try to write it as soon as possible. Evanescence fans: my sister has officially killed "Bring Me to Life" forever. Now, instead of crying when I hear the song, I laugh hysterically. What happened was that I always listen to the cd when I do artwork, so one night she comes into my room and asks me to lend her the cd for a few minutes. I agree and ten minutes later she comes back to my room in bright colored clothing and asks me to play the cd. I do. She belts out the song, using the Swifter broom she was suppose to be cleaning her room with as a mic-stand. So she's imitating some parts of the dance from our studio (she went there too) and just rolling down our hallway with the Swifter. She gets all into it and even does these fancy tricks. Then she dared me to do "Dirrty" and I did. I admit it. I was dancing along with the Swifter. That is, until, we heard someone coming up the stairs. Then everything went back to normal. So now whenever I hear "Bring Me to Life", I crack up. Thanks for sticking with me and this crazy story. I don't deserve fans like you! (tear) If I don't drive myself crazy and update, until then, D-Yai. 


	15. Rising Gracefully

A/N: Here you go! Read up! You're improving your reading skills and scores! School is brainwashing. So I hope you enjoy and thank you everyone for the reviews! I love you all! Our school's football team sucks! So does our Pep Squad! Wow. Random. Look what Pep Rallies do to you. Enjoy reading my story, I guess. That sounded awkward. Scratch that. Here ya go! Enjoy! Much better.  
  
Disclaimer: I won't be writing these disclaimers if I owned Fruits Basket! Think about it.  
  
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~~Rising Gracefully~~  
  
Hatori came, quietly, to find to his surprise that Shigure as holding Mari against himself.  
  
"Shigure! What are you-" He was cut short when he saw Mari turn he head slightly to face him.  
  
"Uncle. Uncle Hatori." Mari whispered and smiled weakly. Hatori stumbled over to where Shigure's side and looked over at Mari.  
  
"Mari?"  
  
She nodded, before coughing. Shigure helped her sit up and hold her as she coughed. Each cough shook Mari; shook her so much that by the time she was done, she was trembling.  
  
"Don't push yourself baby," Shigure repeated. "Take your time. We're all here for you." Mari looked up at her father, rubbing one eye with the back of her hand and the smiled. She nodded, before looking over at Hatori and having Hatori take her. He held her against his chest and smiled slightly.  
  
"I'm so happy you're awake Mari."  
  
He laid Mari back down on the bed and stuck his head out the door to see if the doctor was coming. Sure enough she was.  
  
She came into the room and sat down beside Mari.  
  
"Mari Sohma?"  
  
Mari nodded.  
  
"I'm Doctor Aya. It's so nice that you finally woke up." She smiled at the girl and gently touched her cheek. "Everyone was telling me that you had the most beautiful blue eyes and I wanted to see them for myself."  
  
Mari smiled. She liked this doctor.  
  
"Well, we're going to run a check a few things right now okay? I just want to make sure that everything is working fine." She looked over at Hatori and Shigure. "I know this may be hard, but could you leave us alone for a few minutes? Hospital rules."  
  
"Of course." Hatori got up and stepped outside.  
  
Shigure kissed his daughter's forehead. "You want me to call Kyou now? I'm sure he'd be glad to rush over here."  
  
Mari shook her head no.  
  
"No?" Shigure raised his eyebrows in surprise. Then he laughed at his daughter. "You want to surprise him don't you?"  
  
Mari smiled and nodded.  
  
"Of course, of course. You always love messing with him." Shigure laughed again and smiled at his daughter before walking out of the room.  
  
"Your father sure is nice, isn't he?" Aya started checking the information on Mari's machines.  
  
Mari nodded and smiled.  
  
"Could you do me a favor? Could you try saying a full sentence for me? I want to hear you voice. One of the girls who came to visit you said you had a song-like voice."  
  
Mari put her lips into a thin line.  
  
Aya smiled at Mari. "Don't worry. I just want to make sure you still have a strong voice." (A/N: I highly doubt doctors actually do this, but bear with me. I just wanted to throw this in)  
  
Mari still didn't talk.  
  
"Are you afraid you can't say a full sentence?"  
  
Mari nodded yes.  
  
"Of course you can. Just start word by word. Take as much time as you need."  
  
Mari opened her mouth. "Ari~gato. Arigato for taking care. Of. Me." (A/N: Err, did you follow that? I tried to show Mari struggling for words)  
  
"You're welcome dearie. You have such a pretty little voice." Aya smiled at the girl. Mari smiled back. Aya forgot for a moment that she was helping someone else's little girl, and saw her own little girl smiling back at her. Aya blinked and told herself to stop. Her girl was gone and all she could do was help other people's.  
  
"Here, I'm going to call your father and uncle back into the room. It was nice talking to you Mari." She got up to leave.  
  
"Wait," Mari called in a weak voice.  
  
"Yes?" Aya was surprised to have Mari call her back.  
  
"How much. Longer?"  
  
"How much longer what?"  
  
"Do I have to. Wear this mask?" Mari looked up at Aya with longing eyes.  
  
Aya sat down beside Mari. "To tell you the truth, I really don't know." She gently touched the mask. "But we'll try to get you off of it as soon as possible. I can promise you that."  
  
"Arigato." Mari smiled happily.  
  
As Aya walked out the door, she turned to Shigure. "You have a really incredible daughter Shigure. She's nothing like I've ever seen. I guess she must get it for her father." She started heading down the hallway, leaving Shigure slightly blushing before going back into the room to spend time with his little girl.  
  
Aya stopped halfway down the hallway. She closed her eyes and saw her own daughter looking up at her. "Don't worry mommy. I'll be fine. And I love you!" That's the last thing she heard her daughter say before she died. She gently started crying. Every time she helped a small girl that resembled her daughter, she always cried. She couldn't even help her own daughter, so now it was her life's duty to save young girls of others.  
  
Back in Mari's room, Shigure was baby-talking his daughter. Words could not express how happy and relieved he was by Mari's sudden awakening. Hatori was sitting in his usual spot, the couch, and just watching this small family rejoin together after a month of hardships. Hatori smiled a bit. Shigure was back to his old self and the air in the room had changed dramatically.  
  
"Mari, Uo-chan brought you something quite awhile back. I promised her I'd give it to you as soon as you woke up." Shigure opened a drawer near-by and pulled out the small navy blue dog.  
  
Mari's eyes widened with excitement and she reached out for the dog. Shigure handed it to his little girl.  
  
"Remember to thank her when you see her."  
  
Mari nodded and started playing with the dog.  
  
"You going to name it?"  
  
Mari nodded again. She put her lips into a pout and thought about a name. After a few minutes, she smiled.  
  
"Chico."  
  
"Chico?" Shigure repeated, confused. "Since when have you known Spanish Mari? Did you learn it while you were sleeping?" Shigure smiled at his daughter. He knew that Mari had gotten the name after hearing it one of her television shows. "I think it's a wonderful name, don't you Ha-chan?"  
  
"Hmmm."  
  
Mari beamed at her father and uncle. She hugged the dog close. She still didn't like talking much; it just felt all too weird.  
  
Shigure brushed the bangs away from his daughter's face and kissed her forehead. Everything felt so much better that she was awake. He could breathe again.  
  
"Look Mari, I brought you Kyuri and Kagura." He pulled out the black- haired doll and orange cat.  
  
"Arigato daddy." Mari smiled happily as she cuddled with her three favorite toys. She then put her toys down and reached out to her father. Shigure's eyes softened and he sat on the bed beside her and let her rest against him. Mari placed her face against his chest, not before frowning at the mask she was wearing on her face. Shigure wrapped his arms around her and started stroking the tips of her hair. He started humming a bit to his daughter and Mari smiled. She knew that her father hummed when he was very happy.  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Can you sing that song?"  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"The one when I can't sleep. I dreameded you sang it to me."  
  
"Of course baby." Shigure felt a tear slip down his face. She had heard him sing it to her earlier.  
  
"Jari michi ni saku hana ga; Asatsu yu ni hika ateru wa; Dare ni mo kizukarezu ni; Demo sukoshi hokorashige ni; Sekai ga o-okisugite; Jibun ga chi-isasugite; Mirai ga to-osugiru to; Yu-ube naita kedo; Mune wo hate miyo- o ka; Ima ikiteru koto ni; Me no mae no hataru wo; Ito tsutoru no to- ni; Mune wo hato- wo yo-" (A/N: Translation in chapter 11 in case you forgot the song.)  
  
When Shigure finished the song, he looked over at Mari, who was looking back up at her father, smiling. Shigure kissed the top of his little girl's head. Mari hugged closer to her father and felt his heartbeat. She loved listening to it. It was proof he was alive and would never leave alone.  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
"Yes Mari?"  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
It's then, when Shigure looked up, he noticed for the first time Kyou standing in the doorway.  
  
Shigure smiled softly at Kyou, who look like he was on the verge of tears. Mari hadn't noticed that Kyou was there yet; she facing the other way. Shigure nodded at Kyou.  
  
"Mari?"  
  
Mari turned around and locked her eyes on Kyou.  
  
"Kyou?"  
  
Kyou let his tears fall freely from his eyes and ran over to her bedside. "You're awake. I can't believe it."  
  
Mari rubbed her eye a bit. She smiled at Kyou.  
  
"How you doing?"  
  
"Fine. Just fine." Kyou's tears started falling harder. He took Mari in his arms and held her close. "I'm fine now that you're awake." He kissed the top of her head before running his hand along the side of her cheek.  
  
Shigure felt his own tears escape and wiped them away before anyone noticed. He had seen this coming. The bond between the two of the zodiac was like no other. He stayed seated on the bed, just watching the two cats embrace.  
  
Kyou let go of Mari and smiled at her. "It's been too quiet without you running around. You better come home soon squirt." Mari nodded at Kyou.  
  
"Baby. Kyou was here everyday with you after school. Did you know that? I think you should thank him for that."  
  
Mari looked at Kyou, who wore a slight smile on his face.  
  
"Arigato Kyou." Mari nuzzled against Kyou. He placed his hand on her back and closed his eyes and let a solitary tear escape. Shigure smiled at the two.  
  
When Mari pulled away, she went back to resting against her father, who starting stroking her hair again.  
  
"Why didn't you call me earlier?" Kyou asked. "She's been up for awhile, hasn't she?"  
  
"It was Mari's idea, wasn't it baby?" Shigure looked down at his daughter who enthusiastically nodded her head yes.  
  
"Mari? Really?" Kyou was surprised. He was almost certain that it would have been Shigure's doing.  
  
"You wanted to surprise Kyou-kun, didn't you?" Mari smiled at Kyou before what appeared to be a giggle behind that mask she was wearing.  
  
Kyou smiled. "You're just a little trouble maker, aren't you?" Kyou poked Mari in the stomach and caused her to giggle a bit.  
  
Shigure laughed.  
  
Kyou laughed.  
  
Mari laughed.  
  
All three laughed from the heart for the first time in weeks.  
  
Life was starting to turn around.  
  
It was starting to become clear and was starting to make sense.  
  
No one cared about what the past told them to do.  
  
For the first time, they wanted to make it to the future smiling and filled with hope.  
  
A change that was definitely worth the wait.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: I know! Don't yell at me for this being so damn short! I figured I should just post a shorter chapter than usual than waiting who knows how long to post a longer chapter! I hope you guys don't mind! I have schoolwork coming out of my ears and should actually be doing my homework right now since I have such a busy weekend, but I love you all so much I just had to post this! HA! My drawing and painting class isn't actually all that bad-except for still life. I hate still life when it's the main focus of the drawing. I mean, I don't mind drawing background but drawing a stupid fruits basket (no pun intended) gets boring after about three times. But I found some of my friends in that class so we hang and sneak our drawings of comic and anime characters. Just to note, Blue Monday rocks! Everyone should read it! My friend is going to let me borrow hers so I can read more! Anyway, our Cartooning Club is running fine in case anyone cares and we have Club Rush coming up next week, so stressing about that! And about getting new members to the club and making our presentation! School is crazy. But the dance class I take through the school isn't all that bad. It's pretty cool. And the classes at school aren't horrible; it's just all the homework. So I can't promise a really speedy update, but I'll try. I'll try. Until I swipe Kare Kano volume four from Amanda, Blue Monday from Liz, and obsess more over the Domo-kun donation boxes Jaci made for the club, D-Yai. 


	16. So Innocent, So Simple, and So Very Pure

A/N: You want to know the bloody truth on why this chapter took so damn long? The long or short version? Short version: SCHOOLWORK IZ EVIL!!! And getting sick is too. For the more humorous, detailed description, read the author's note at the end, after reading the chapter of course. Err, if you don't read BLUE MONDAY, what's wrong with you people!? READ IT!!! YOU'LL LAUGH UNTIL YOU CRY! More on that subject at the end. Sorry about the wait again everyone! Thanks for sticking with this story!!!!!!!!!!!+  
  
Disclaimer: Life-size blow-up dolls, inspired by an idea mi amiga had with the blow-up life-size Orlando Bloom dolls, of Kyou and Shigure for glomping (dirty girls we are!) would be first on my list if I owned Fruits Basket.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
~~So Innocent, So Simple, and So Very Pure~~  
  
Spirits had lifted; times were easy. Mari had awakened after being in darkness for so long. Tears of joy were wept, and hugs and kisses of relief were given. "My family," Mari thought, "does love me after all. That voice was just lying. They really do care."  
  
The following day Mari started to get her flow of visitors. Kyou obviously came the instant that school got out. Hatori happened to bring Ayame over for the day and Kyou was not exactly thrilled. When he walked through the door, he saw Ayame laughing along with Shigure and Mari.  
  
(insert Ayame's trumpet music)  
  
"Ah!!! My dearest Kyou-kun! Come, come join us! It's just oh so fabulous that Shi-chan and Mari chan are so happy! And that the little Mari is finally awake! Bless her! Now, where's that brother of mine? I was hoping we could celebrate our joy of Mari's awakening together!"  
  
Kyou tried to keep his temper down with Ayame. "He said that Kagura told him to wait for him before he came."  
  
"How about that dearest little Tohru-kun? She's just so scrumptious." (A/N: EVIL WITCH!!!! Actually, I couldn't even type that line myself. I'm not joking. One of my friends wrote it in an email and I pasted it here. I am in serious need of mental help.)  
  
Kyou was about to pounce on top of Ayame, but Shigure suddenly appeared and held him back. "She's coming, later," Kyou started. " She needed to stop by her work first. She told me to just go ahead."  
  
"Ah, very well." Ayame flicked his wrist at Kyou and tossed his hair over his shoulder. "All that matters is Mari-chan's health, no?" Ayame tapped Mari's mask, and she giggled.  
  
(end Ayame's trumpet music)  
  
Kyou's glare on Ayame softened. He turned towards Mari and sat down beside her. Mari reached up to Kyou and he took her in his arms.  
  
"Aya." Shigure said lowly and Ayame smiled at the cuddling cats before moving over towards Shigure.  
  
"So how are you feeling today Mari?" Kyou cooed to her.  
  
Mari rubbed her eye before letting out a small yawn. "'K. But I'm still tired."  
  
"Of course you are." His kissed the top of her head. "You could sleep now if you wanted to."  
  
Mari shook her head no. "I was sleeping too long before. Now I want to see everyone." Mari smiled. Kyou smiled back then looked over at Shigure who grinned back. It seemed as if Shigure had told Mari to sleep as well and she wouldn't.  
  
Mari set up in her bed and looked around the room a few times, with her huge dark blues blinking every so often. She kept on doing this during the day. Shigure frowned. He had talked to Aya about this and she said that Mari was still trying to adjust to everything around her. Hatori had said the same thing. Still, it bothered Shigure whenever she did it. It made her seem so life-less and fake. After awhile, she stopped, shook her head and then locked her eyes onto her father. Shigure looked straight back at her, imitating her biting a bit of her lower lip. Mari pushed her eyebrows together; so did Shigure. Mari shook her head again and smiled. Shigure let out a small laugh before getting up and sitting with his daughter. Mari struggled for air before resting against her father. Shigure closed his eyes as he held his little girl close. "She's awake," he thought. "That's all that matters right now. I'll do all it takes it keep her alive and breathing."  
  
Through the door came Kagura and Yuki, who held behind. Mari turned her head and smiled.  
  
"Ah! Mari-chan!" Kagura hurried over to Mari's bedside. Shigure let go of Mari so Kagura could embrace her.  
  
"It's so wonderful that you're awake now Mari. Everyone's been so worried about you." Kagura kissed Mari's forehead and pushed away her bangs.  
  
"It's nice to see you again Kagura." Mari hugged against her.  
  
Kagura smiled at the girl and ruffled her hair.  
  
"See! Daddy brought me Kagura too!" Mari held up the orange cat. Kagura blushed looking at the cat, as did Kyou.  
  
"I can see that Cat Kagura is very happy that you're awake now too Mari."  
  
"Yep. Arisa gave me a blue dog like daddy too. Now Kyuri has two pets." Mari held up the dog.  
  
"This does look exactly like Shigure." Kagura stared in amazement at the dog.  
  
"Hai. Its name is Chico." Mari smiled happily as she hugged it close. Kagura smiled at the toddler. Mari placed her toys down and looked towards the door.  
  
"Did Yuki come with you? Kyou said he would."  
  
Kagura looked at Mari and paused for a moment. What was she suppose to say? Yuki came, but he's not showing himself? Yuki's here but doesn't know how to approach you?  
  
"Is he here? I want to see him." Mari looked up longingly at Kagura.  
  
"I'm here Mari." Yuki stepped over, much to everyone's surprise. "It's great to see you up again."  
  
Mari looked up at Yuki, startled. She smiled and nodded at him. "Yuki." She didn't expect him to reach out for her, so she didn't reach out for him.  
  
Yuki sat down beside Mari. Slowly, he reached his trembling hand up to touch Mari's cheek. Mari just kept her gaze upon him. When his hand made contact with her cheek, he didn't pull back like he did last time; he let his hand stroke her soft skin ever so gently. To Mari's surprise, she let a tear escape and slid down her cheek and fall onto Yuki's hand. Yuki pulled his hand away and rubbed her tear between two of his fingers. Mari looked at Yuki, with more and more tears escaping. Yuki smiled at the girl ever so slightly.  
  
Mari embraced Yuki.  
  
She allowed her tears to fall all over his school jacket; to mix with him.  
  
Yuki was stunned. Mari had never been that close to him. She had rarely ever turned to him; she always had Shigure or Kyou there first. Yuki placed his arms around Mari and held her against him. She held onto him and wouldn't let go. And this time, Yuki didn't mind. He didn't want her to ever let go.  
  
"Alas, the new beginning has begun," Shigure thought silently to himself. "The rat learns to understand the smallest kitten. Learns that that kitten has truth buried deep within."  
  
~~Later that Day~~  
  
Tohru had come after seeing her boss at work and was just delighted to see Mari up.  
  
"Ah! Mari-chan! You're finally up! Oh, how I missed seeing your blue eyes and hearing your sweet little voice!" Tohru hugged Mari closely.  
  
"Can I help you cook when I go home?"  
  
"Of course! What ever you want! Oh, I'm so happy you're up!" (A/N: ~Throwing up all over keyboard.~ LOL Tohru is so happy and perky! Can't she ever get mad?!)  
  
Mari smiled at Tohru and hugged her again. Tohru was beaming. Now that everyone was so happy around her, Tohru was, well, extra happy.  
  
"Ha-chan, you brought my box in, didn't you?" Ayame was running around the room. "I forgot about it all of the excitement." Ayame was messing with everything, looking for his box.  
  
"It's right here Aya." Hatori held up the box with one hand and was looking through paperwork with the other.  
  
"Arigato Ha-chan!" Ayame hurried over to get the box, then ran over to Shigure.  
  
"Shi-chan, I made this for Mari-chan."  
  
"Ah, arigato Aya. Here, give it to Mari so she can open it."  
  
Ayame placed to box in front of Mari and motioned for her to open it. All eyes were on Mari and the gift. Kyou and Yuki were both extremely suspicious of the gift, knowing about the kind of shop that Ayame ran.  
  
"It's so pretty Uncle Ayame! Arigato!" Mari hugged her uncle.  
  
"I'm so glad that you like it dear. I made especially for you. Promise me you'll wear it as soon as you're out of this hospital."  
  
"Oh, I promise! I promise!"  
  
The sweater was made of that fuzzy, soft white material (you know what I'm taking about, right?) and had a huge extra portion of material around the neckline making a flopping collar. The sleeves draped over hand slightly. It was the kind of sweater that you could stay in forever. The skirt was black and was short. It came with white, shimmering tights and black ankle boots. Lastly, it came with a hat made of the same material as the sweater. It was one of those Inca hats (you know, the ones that drape over the ears with the hanging strings on the ends and kinda pointy at the top? Look in winter fashion magazines. You'll see what I'm talking about).  
  
"Aya, it's beautiful. You really out-did yourself this time." Shigure smiled at Ayame. "Isn't this just beautiful Mari? Now you'll have something wonderful to wear for Christmas or New Year's."  
  
Mari nodded enthusiastically. "I really love it Uncle Ayame. Thank you."  
  
"Anything for you Mari-chan. Anything for Shigure's daughter."  
  
Kyou touched the material of the sweater. This outfit was unlike Ayame. It was so innocent, so simple, and so very pure. It captured Mari's light and reflected everything off of it.  
  
"Didn't think I could make something like this, huh Kyou-kun?" Ayame smiled devilishly towards Kyou. "I do have an innocent side, after all."  
  
Kyou frowned at Ayame and Yuki just shook his head in shame. How is possible that his brother can ruin a perfect moment by opening his mouth?  
  
"Ayame," Yuki started. He stopped. This was no time to scold his whimsical older brother. "That outfit is truly fabulous. It's amazing how you can imagine something and make it real."  
  
"Oh, Yuki-kun!!! ARIGATO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Ayame was crying buckets and hugging, actually more like strangling, his younger brother.  
  
The hospital room filled with laughter. The sound of laughter that can lift anyone's spirits.  
  
~~Next Day~~  
  
The next day, Mari got visits from Momiji and Haru. Momiji came hopping through the door along with Kyou and Haru after school.  
  
"Mari-chan!" Momiji ran up and hugged his small cousin. "You're awake, I'm so happy!" Momiji started crying happy tears. Mari smiled and giggled at Momiji.  
  
"Oh, Mari-chan, I got you this." Momiji held up a butterfly sun catcher. "I hope you like it."  
  
"Oh, I love it! It's so pretty. Thank you Momiji." Momiji beamed.  
  
"Mari." Mari looked over and saw Haru smiling slightly at her.  
  
"Oh, Haru! It's so nice to see you." Mari smiled at Haru.  
  
"Hey, I should be the one telling you that."  
  
Laughter  
  
Kyou stood by the doorway, shaking his head. Ever since Mari had wakened up, everything was better. It felt as if a hundred weights had been lifted from his heart.  
  
When he glanced around the room, he noticed that neither Shigure nor Hatori was there. As if to answer the unsaid question, they came through the door.  
  
"Ah, Kyou-kun. I see you brought Momiji-kun and Haru-kun with you." Shigure stated. And then Shigure smiled.  
  
"What's going on?" Kyou questioned.  
  
"I just talked to Aya. Mari's going to be moved out the immediate care ward in a few days. She's getting stronger Kyou-kun. She's getting stronger."  
  
"That wonderful news Shigure."  
  
"For the most part."  
  
"What do you mean for the 'most part'? Aren't you glad your daughter's getting better?"  
  
"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be? It's just that, well-"  
  
"What Shigure is trying to say is that when Mari switches wards, he can't stay here with her and they'll be more strict with visiting hours Kyou." Hatori stepped in. "I don't know if you noticed, but all of us are staying way past the visiting hours."  
  
"I've noticed."  
  
"Since she's so young," Hatori continued, "they'll still let Shigure in before or after visiting hours, but the rest of you. . ." Hatori didn't have to finish his sentence. Kyou knew exactly what he was going to say. Kyou closed his eyes. That meant no more spending hours after hours with Mari.  
  
"I understand. It's okay really." Kyou smiled sadly at Hatori and Shigure.  
  
"Don't mention it to Mari just yet. We'll tell her when we're moving her rooms."  
  
"Of course Shigure."  
  
Shigure smiled and then headed over towards Mari, Momiji, and Haru.  
  
"Look daddy at what Momiji got me." Mari held up the sun catcher towards her father.  
  
"How nice of you Momiji. You didn't have to."  
  
"But I wanted to Shigure. I love seeing Mari smile." Momiji smiled and a pair of rabbit ears became apparent on his head.  
  
"Mari dear?" Mari turned around to see Mikki, her teacher, standing beside Kyou.  
  
"Sensei Hakuu?" Mari smiled at her teacher.  
  
"When I heard that you woke up, I had to come see for myself. Oh, Mari, it's been too long." Mikki went to take Mari's hand gently.  
  
"Thank you for coming to see me. I'm sorrwee I misseded so much school."  
  
"Oh, it's okay. Don't worry about it. You'll catch up quickly, I promise." Mikki smiled at Mari, before looking up at Shigure. When he smiled at her, she started blushing.  
  
"How's everyone at school?"  
  
"They all want you to come back. They miss you."  
  
"Really?" You're not lying?"  
  
"Of course not. Everyone misses you and hopes you feel better." She pulled out a huge card. In the inside were scribbles and parts of names. "They all got together and made you a card, see? Taichi got everyone together to make it."  
  
"Arigato. Tell Taichi that I'm still really sorry and thank you for the card."  
  
"I will." Mikki gently touched Mari's cheek. "I better get going. I'll let you get back to your family. Bye Mari. I'm glad to see you're getting better."  
  
"Bye Sensei!" Mari smiled before showing the card to Haru, who was attempting to figure out how those scribbles were names.  
  
As Mikki was walking down the hallway, she felt someone's hand slid upon her shoulder.  
  
"Mikki."  
  
She turned around to face Shigure.  
  
"Thank you for coming to visit Mari. It really means a lot to her to know that other people outside the family care about her."  
  
"It was nothing. You have such a wonderful little girl. Really. It was no problem."  
  
"Mikki?" Shigure looked hard at the young teacher. Her green eyes were shinning with tears. "Mikki? What's wrong?"  
  
"Forgive me, forgive me. I have no right to be crying. I'm so sorry."  
  
"Mikki, what's wrong?" Shigure was holding her by her shoulders. He was starting to get worried. "Why are you crying?"  
  
"I wish was as strong as you were Shigure. I really do." And with that, Mikki reached up to gently kiss Shigure on the cheek before breaking free of his hold and running down the hallway, with tears gliding down her face.  
  
So Shigure stood there, watching her brown hair stream out behind Mikki. He reached up to touch the spot where she had kissed him.  
  
Something so innocent, so simple, and so very pure had just happened to him.  
  
And it was about to change his life.  
  
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A/N: What a cliffhanger! I can't wait to sit down and write it out! I actually know what to write this time too! Pretty amazing! I guess you kinda wanna hear the story of why this took so long huh? You get the schoolwork part right? Schoolwork is evil and is so tedious and takes forever and drives me insane, yet I do it all, all the time. go figure. And to top it off, I got really sick last weekend and still did homework and was sick all week but still went to school and did homework. Top that! I did work on this chapter in my English class bit cuz I am just cool like that. But, see, I usually spend my whole second of free time working on my comic or sneaking in manga, like Paradise Kiss-I read most of volume three in English-and such. AH! Kodocha #9 is out and I don't own it! Must dash to mall ASAP!!!!!!!!!! Okay. Anyway, Blue Monday rocks so if you haven't read it, you are so deprived that you don't even know it. So go buy it or borrow it or something. It is the craziest shit that I have ever read. I mean it. So yeah. I am just rambling. Oh yeah! I just discovered the J- Rock band Psycho le Cemu and an in love. WAAAAA!!!! I love them! Their outfits are so crazy cool and their music is so great! Curse you Amanda for showing that site!!!!!! I will buy the Daishi (singer in the group) highly sexy blazer and/or outfit or else I will strangle something!!!!!!!!!!! Oh yeah, Amanda had Mana (Malice Maizer for you deprived folks out there) blood! Mana-blood! NOT Mud-blood! Okay, you had to be there. Our Club Rush booth was crazy and we have a bunch of new freshman and well, members in general. Hey, it's me your crazy prez!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! See, I don't get out often. I guess I better go before I end up hurting myself. Sorry about the long wait again. I'll try to update ASAP. I mean it. D-Yai never gets any sleep. Poor D-Yai. LOL 


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